Summarize:

Immunotherapy medications help your immune system recognize and fight cancer cells. Your doctor may recommend different immunotherapy medications depending on how advanced your bladder cancer is. Types of immunotherapy used to treat bladder cancer include: Intravesical BCG: This type of treatment is typically used for early-stage cancers. In this treatment, BCG (a type of bacteria) is put directly into the bladder through a catheter, triggering an immune response that destroys cancer cells. Immune checkpoint inhibitors: For more advanced cancers, it can be helpful to “turn off” the proteins that inhibit the immune system from attacking your body’s normal cells. This can be done with a variety of medications, including atezolizumab, durvalumab, avelumab, nivolumab, and pembrolizumab. Immunotherapy medications are often used after other forms of treatment, such as tumor resection or chemotherapy, to prevent the cancer from returning or to destroy new cancer cells. Talk to your doctor about the potential risks of immunotherapy before starting treatment. In some cases, immunotherapy may cause the immune system to become severely overactive and damage your body’s healthy tissues.
Manage your cancer with immunotherapy.