Dr. Balmanoukian on Clinical Trials With Immunotherapy in GU Cancers

Ani S. Balmanoukian, MD, director of Thoracic Oncology, and associate director of the Phase I Immune-Oncology Program at The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute, discusses the importance of clinical trials investigating immunotherapy for patients with genitourinary (GU) cancers.

One of the most interesting clinical trials was with atezolizumab (Tecentriq), says Balmanoukian, who was a part of the initial phase I trial using atezolizumab in various diseases. It was during that phase I trial that the investigators decided to use a checkpoint inhibitor in urothelial cancer, given that urothelial cancers are known to have high mutation burdens.

The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute was one of the first sites to enroll patients with urothelial cancer, explains Balmanoukian. The results that were seen in patients with urothelial cancer led to the phase II trial. This has given investigators the ability to move the field forward. Prior to this trial, other than local immunotherapy, systemic immunotherapy had not been used in urothelial carcinoma.