What are the response rates for disitamab vedotin plus PD-1 inhibitor in urothelial carcinoma?
Disitamab vedotin (DV) is an antibody-drug conjugate that targets HER2. Combining it with a PD-1 inhibitor (a type of immunotherapy) has shown strong results for advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC). In real-world studies, this combination leads to high response rates, meaning many patients see their tumors shrink or disappear. The exact response rate depends on the patient group and treatment line.
What the research says
A multicenter real-world study of 132 patients with locally advanced or metastatic UC found that DV plus a PD-1 inhibitor produced an objective response rate (ORR) of 71.4% and a disease control rate (DCR) of 87.3% 4. Another real-world study focusing on first-line treatment in 63 patients reported an ORR of 71.4% and a DCR of 87.3%, with a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 10.5 months 6. A separate analysis of 97 patients showed that DV plus a PD-1 inhibitor significantly improved PFS compared to chemotherapy alone, PD-1 inhibitor plus chemotherapy, or PD-1 inhibitor alone 7. For patients with HER2-negative or HER2-low UC (who have less HER2 on their cancer cells), a meta-analysis of 16 studies found that DV-based therapy achieved an ORR of 51% overall, with better outcomes in HER2-low (55%) versus HER2-negative (34%) subgroups 3.
What to ask your doctor
- Is disitamab vedotin plus a PD-1 inhibitor an option for my type of urothelial carcinoma?
- What is my HER2 status, and how might that affect my expected response to this combination?
- What are the possible side effects of this treatment, and how are they managed?
- How does this combination compare to other first-line treatments for my specific situation?
This question is drawn from common patient questions about Urology and answered using cited medical research. We do not provide individualized advice.