Shreyas S. Joshi, MD, MPH

Panelists discuss current FDA-approved treatments for BCG-unresponsive carcinoma in situ, noting varying response rates among pembrolizumab, nadofaragene, and BCG combined with IL-15 superagonist, while highlighting promising investigational combination immunotherapies like oncolytic viruses and checkpoint inhibitors that may improve outcomes in this challenging patient population.

Panelists discuss emerging data comparing bladder-sparing therapies to radical cystectomy in BCG-unresponsive non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), highlighting the nuanced trade-offs in oncologic outcomes and quality of life, and emphasizing the need for shared decision-making as prospective studies like CISTO refine patient selection for personalized treatment strategies.

Panelists discuss the expanding treatment options for BCG-unresponsive high-risk non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer, highlighting the benefits and limitations of FDA-approved therapies like pembrolizumab, nadofaragene, and nogapendekin, alongside off-label use of gemcitabine-docetaxel, as clinicians strive to balance efficacy, accessibility, and individualized care amid ongoing resource challenges.

Panelists discuss the evolving definition of BCG-unresponsive non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), emphasizing its critical role in identifying patients who fail adequate BCG therapy, guiding next-line treatment decisions, and determining eligibility for clinical trials exploring novel therapeutic options.

Panelists discuss how the ongoing BCG shortage has forced clinicians to adapt treatment strategies for non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), balancing resource constraints with patient outcomes through dose adjustments, chemotherapy substitution, and earlier cystectomy, while emphasizing the importance of maintaining trial eligibility and adhering as closely as possible to evidence-based protocols.

Panelists discuss evolving strategies for managing non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), highlighting how risk stratification, resource limitations, and emerging therapies like gemcitabine-docetaxel are shaping treatment decisions, while emphasizing the urgent need for predictive tools and biomarkers to guide personalized care.

“It is likely that more and more, these newer agents are going to play earlier and more central roles in the early treatment of BCG-unresponsive disease," says Shreyas S. Joshi, MD, MPH.

"We're very much looking forward to the new data that'll be presented, hopefully, within the next year, to see where this falls in the grand scheme of the all the new drugs coming into play here," says Shreyas S. Joshi, MD, MPH.

"We're excited about the science behind it, but we're also excited for our patients that if they can have access to this, maybe we can delay or completely avoid radical cystectomy or further aggressive treatments," says Shreyas S. Joshi, MD, MPH.