Wnt/beta-Catenin Signaling and Immunotherapy Resistance: Lessons for the Treatment of Urothelial Carcinoma

Urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) is a significant public health burden. It accounts for approximately 90 percent of all bladder cancers with an estimated 200,000 annual deaths globally. Platinum based cytotoxic chemotherapy combinations are the current standard of care in the frontline setting for metastatic UCC. Even with these treatments the median overall survival is estimated to be about 15 months. Recently, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have demonstrated superior clinical benefits compared to second line chemotherapy in UCC treatment. However only a minority of patients (similar to 20%) respond to ICIs, which highlights the need to better understand the mechanisms behind resistance. In this review, we (i) examine the pathophysiology of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling, (ii) discuss pre-clinical evidence that supports the combination of Wnt/beta-catenin inhibitors and ICI, and (iii) propose future combination treatments that could be investigated through clinical trials.

Automated summary

Urothelial cell carcinoma is a significant public health burden, with standard treatment being platinum-based chemotherapy combinations. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown superior clinical benefits, but only a minority of patients respond, indicating a need for better understanding of resistance mechanisms.