Open Access

ARTICLE

Frontline immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients ≥ 90 years with advanced urothelial cancer: a single center experience

Evangelia Vlachou¹, Burles Avner Johnson 3rd^1,2, Elizabeth Guancial³, Kara A. Lombardo^1,2,4, Jean Hoffman-Censits^1,2

1 Johns Hopkins Greenberg Bladder Cancer Institute, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
2 Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
3 Florida Cancer Specialists and Research Institute, Sarasota, Florida, USA
4 Johns Hopkins University Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Address correspondence to Dr. Jean Hoffman-Censits, Johns Hopkins Greenberg Bladder Cancer Institute, 201 N. Broadway, 9th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21287 USA

Canadian Journal of Urology 2024, 31(3), 11875-11879.

Abstract

Introduction: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are approved for advanced urothelial cancer alone and as first line in combination with enfortumab vedotin. Platinum based chemotherapy which is another frontline choice is often not a treatment option for older patients due to comorbidities that increase with age. Despite ICIs being better tolerated compared to traditional chemotherapy little is known about their efficacy and toxicity in patients ≥ 90 years due to the rarity of this population in clinical trials. Our objective was to analyze the efficacy and toxicity of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients ≥ 90 years.
Materials and methods: We conducted a single center retrospective review of patients ≥ 90 years treated between July 2019 and September 2023 with standard of care ICIs for advanced urothelial cancer.
Results: Six patients treated with pembrolizumab were identified. Four (66.7%) were male and mean age was 93.5 years at the time of treatment initiation. Response rate was 66.7% (4 patients) with 3 complete responses, which were durable off therapy. Median follow up was 18.2 months. Median progression free survival (PFS) was 10.2 months [95%confidence interval (95%CI): 1.77, not reached (NR)] and median overall survival (OS) was 18.2 months (95%CI: 12.1, NR). Side effects presented in 4 (66.7%) patients and included hypothyroidism, diarrhea, anemia, thrombocytopenia, rash, and bullous dermatitis. One patient developed grade 3 anemia and no patients experienced grade 4 events or required hospitalization due to treatment side effects.
Conclusions: Our experience in a small cohort of patients ≥ 90 years indicate that ICIs are well tolerated and effective for the treatment of advanced urothelial carcinoma in this patient population.

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