Immuntherapie mit Checkpoint-Inhibitoren beim lokal fortgeschrittenen und metastasierten Urothelzellkarzinom

The approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors has started a new era in the treatment of urothelial carcinoma, which, so far, has been a disease with limited treatment options. However, in the current German S3 guideline for bladder cancer the remarkable improvements provided by immune checkpoint inhibitors have not been reflected. As cancer immunotherapy is a novel approach, there are several questions related to the daily clinical routine: What clinical data was used as the basis for the approval of the individual substances? What does this mean for previous treatment algorithms? What issues must be considered in the management of adverse events? What side-effects may occur and how can they be recognised and treated? The present paper provides an overview of the new treatment options regarding their relevance as well as recommendations for their application in clinical practice.