Intravesical gemcitabine as bladder-preserving treatment for BCG unresponsive non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Results from a single-arm, open-label study

Abstract

Background: There is an unmet alternative medical therapy for BCG unresponsive patients. Objective: To report efficacy of intravesical gemcitabine in NMIBC patients, who failed a previous course of BCG, or intolerant, and unwilling to undergo radical cystectomy (RC). Material and methods: This is an open-label, single-arm study, which enrolled patients showing a failure or were intolerant to BCG and unwilling to undergo the RC. Intravesical gemcitabine was administered once a week for six consecutive weeks and once a month for 12 months. The primary outcome was DFS defined as the lack of a tumor on cystoscopy and negative urine cytology. Secondary endpoint was safety defined according a grading of side effects. OS, PFS, and DFS were described with Kaplan–Meier method at 12 and 24 months. Results and limitations: Overall 36 patients were enrolled. The median follow-up was 27 months. The DFS was 68.75% at the end of induction phase and 44.44% and 31.66% at 12 and 24 months of, respectively. The PFS was 43.75%. The OS and CSS were 77.9% (95% CI 58.78%-88.92%) and 80.68% (95% CI 61.49%-90.96%), respectively. There was no life threatening event or treatment-related death (grade 4 or 5). The most common mild and moderate adverse events reported were urinary symptoms (LUTS) and fatigue (G1-G2). Conclusion: Patients who presented an unresponsive-BCG recurrent NMIBC and unwilling to receive a RC, could benefit from intravesical gemcitabine as salvage organ-sparing treatment.