AUA 2017: Late-Breaking Abstract – Targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and human epidermal growth factor 2 expressing bladder cancer using combination photoimmunotherapy (PIT)

Boston, MA (UroToday.com) EGFR directed therapy has brought improved survival in patients diagnosed with several solid organ cancers. However, this mode of therapy has been heretofore unsuccessful in the treatment of bladder cancer. Evidence from the TCGA has demonstrated the immense molecular heterogeneity of bladder cancer. As such, the authors hypothesized that the combination of EGFR and Her2 directed therapy may improve treatment efficacy. They employed photoimmunotherapy (PIT), involving antibodies conjugated to a photoabsorber activated by near infra-red light, to directly target EGFR and Her2 expressing SW780 and RT112 bladder cancer cells. The investigators found lower energies required for cancer killing when combination therapy was used. The findings were confirmed in in vivo experiments, in which tumor burdens were attenuated in murine xenografts with combination therapy. Combination PIT directed at EGFR and HER2 is a promising therapy for bladder cancer.

Presenter: Mohammad Siddiqui

Written By: Roger Li MD Urologic Oncology Fellow, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center @UrogerliMD
Ashish M. Kamat MD Wayne B. Duddlesten Professor, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center

at the 2017 AUA Annual Meeting - May 12 - 16, 2017 – Boston, Massachusetts, USA

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