Antibody-drug conjugates in urinary tumors: clinical application, challenge, and perspectives

Keqiang Li; Guoqing Xie; Xiyue Deng; Yu Zhang; Zhankui Jia; Zhenlin Huang

doi:10.3389/fonc.2023.1259784

Antibody-drug conjugates in urinary tumors: clinical application, challenge, and perspectives

Front Oncol. 2023 Dec 20:13:1259784. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1259784. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Keqiang Li^#^{1

2}, Guoqing Xie^#^{1

2}, Xiyue Deng^{1

2}, Yu Zhang^{1

2}, Zhankui Jia¹, Zhenlin Huang¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.
² Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Urinary tumors primarily consist of kidney, urothelial, and prostate malignancies, which pose significant treatment challenges, particularly in advanced stages. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have emerged as a promising therapeutic approach, combining monoclonal antibody specificity with cytotoxic chemotherapeutic payloads. This review highlights recent advancements, opportunities, and challenges in ADC application for urinary tumors. We discuss the FDA-approved ADCs and other novel ADCs under investigation, emphasizing their potential to improve patient outcomes. Furthermore, we explore strategies to address challenges, such as toxicity management, predictive biomarker identification, and resistance mechanisms. Additionally, we examine the integration of ADCs with other treatment modalities, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, targeted therapies, and radiation therapy. By addressing these challenges and exploring innovative approaches, the development of ADCs may significantly enhance therapeutic options and outcomes for patients with advanced urinary tumor.

Keywords: ADC; bladder; kidney; prostate; urinary tumors; urothelial cancer.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 377 82172564 no. 82303032) and the Science and Technology Research Project of Henan Province (no. 378 212102310116).