Real-world comparison of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy and chemotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer

Abstract Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) continues to pose a significant health challenge, as conventional neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) has shown limited improvements in efficacy outcomes. Recent clinical trials suggest that combining NAC with immune checkpoint blockade (NAC.NICB) may enhanc...

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Main Authors: Xinjia Ding, Chao Liu, Xiaohui Li, Zhigao Wang, Yanping Wu, Yi Song, Wei Yu, Shikai Wu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99889-7
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author Xinjia Ding
Chao Liu
Xiaohui Li
Zhigao Wang
Yanping Wu
Yi Song
Wei Yu
Shikai Wu
author_facet Xinjia Ding
Chao Liu
Xiaohui Li
Zhigao Wang
Yanping Wu
Yi Song
Wei Yu
Shikai Wu
author_sort Xinjia Ding
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) continues to pose a significant health challenge, as conventional neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) has shown limited improvements in efficacy outcomes. Recent clinical trials suggest that combining NAC with immune checkpoint blockade (NAC.NICB) may enhance therapeutic efficacy. This study aimed to explore the short-term therapeutic efficacy and outcomes of NAC.NICB compared to NAC in real-world settings for the treatment of MIBC. A total of 100 patients with MIBC who received either NAC or NAC.NICB were included in the study. The treatment efficacy of the NAC and NAC.NICB groups was evaluated based on pathological complete response (pCR) and the rate of pathological downstaging through post treatment pathological assessment. In the NAC.NICB group, clinical characteristics were compared between patients who achieved pCR and those who did not, using the independent samples t-test or the Mann-Whitney U test. Overall, 71 patients received NAC and 29 patients received NAC.NICB. At baseline, the NAC.NICB group exhibited higher T and N stages compared to the NAC group. However, 48.3% (14/29) of the patients in the NAC.NICB group achieved pCR, which was significantly higher than that observed in the NAC group (18/71, 25.4%; p = 0.034). In addition, the pathological downstaging rate in the NAC.NICB group was higher than that of the NAC group (75.9% vs. 47.9%; p = 0.014). The disease control rate (DCR) in the NAC.NICB group was higher than that observed in the NAC group (96.6% vs. 77.5%; p = 0.020). Higher pretreatment hemoglobin levels (p = 0.018) or lower platelet levels (p = 0.026) in patients undergoing NAC.NICB therapy may serve as a potential predictor for achieving a higher pCR rate. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with immune checkpoint blockade improves pCR and pathological downstaging rates in MIBC, highlighting the benefits of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy for MIBC.
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spelling doaj-art-6fc9ac1fcc844f6eb7685760efa0bf122025-08-20T02:34:17ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-011511910.1038/s41598-025-99889-7Real-world comparison of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy and chemotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancerXinjia Ding0Chao Liu1Xiaohui Li2Zhigao Wang3Yanping Wu4Yi Song5Wei Yu6Shikai Wu7Department of Medical Oncology, Peking University First HospitalDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Peking University First HospitalDepartment of Medical Oncology, Peking University First HospitalDepartment of Medical Oncology, Peking University First HospitalDepartment of Medical Oncology, Peking University First HospitalDepartment of Urology, Peking University First HospitalDepartment of Urology, Peking University First HospitalDepartment of Medical Oncology, Peking University First HospitalAbstract Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) continues to pose a significant health challenge, as conventional neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) has shown limited improvements in efficacy outcomes. Recent clinical trials suggest that combining NAC with immune checkpoint blockade (NAC.NICB) may enhance therapeutic efficacy. This study aimed to explore the short-term therapeutic efficacy and outcomes of NAC.NICB compared to NAC in real-world settings for the treatment of MIBC. A total of 100 patients with MIBC who received either NAC or NAC.NICB were included in the study. The treatment efficacy of the NAC and NAC.NICB groups was evaluated based on pathological complete response (pCR) and the rate of pathological downstaging through post treatment pathological assessment. In the NAC.NICB group, clinical characteristics were compared between patients who achieved pCR and those who did not, using the independent samples t-test or the Mann-Whitney U test. Overall, 71 patients received NAC and 29 patients received NAC.NICB. At baseline, the NAC.NICB group exhibited higher T and N stages compared to the NAC group. However, 48.3% (14/29) of the patients in the NAC.NICB group achieved pCR, which was significantly higher than that observed in the NAC group (18/71, 25.4%; p = 0.034). In addition, the pathological downstaging rate in the NAC.NICB group was higher than that of the NAC group (75.9% vs. 47.9%; p = 0.014). The disease control rate (DCR) in the NAC.NICB group was higher than that observed in the NAC group (96.6% vs. 77.5%; p = 0.020). Higher pretreatment hemoglobin levels (p = 0.018) or lower platelet levels (p = 0.026) in patients undergoing NAC.NICB therapy may serve as a potential predictor for achieving a higher pCR rate. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with immune checkpoint blockade improves pCR and pathological downstaging rates in MIBC, highlighting the benefits of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy for MIBC.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99889-7Muscle-invasive bladder cancerNeoadjuvant chemotherapyImmunotherapyPathological complete responsePathological downstaging rate
spellingShingle Xinjia Ding
Chao Liu
Xiaohui Li
Zhigao Wang
Yanping Wu
Yi Song
Wei Yu
Shikai Wu
Real-world comparison of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy and chemotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer
Scientific Reports
Muscle-invasive bladder cancer
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy
Immunotherapy
Pathological complete response
Pathological downstaging rate
title Real-world comparison of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy and chemotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer
title_full Real-world comparison of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy and chemotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer
title_fullStr Real-world comparison of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy and chemotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer
title_full_unstemmed Real-world comparison of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy and chemotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer
title_short Real-world comparison of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy and chemotherapy in muscle-invasive bladder cancer
title_sort real world comparison of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy and chemotherapy in muscle invasive bladder cancer
topic Muscle-invasive bladder cancer
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy
Immunotherapy
Pathological complete response
Pathological downstaging rate
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99889-7
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