Dose modifications, toxicity, and survival with enfortumab vedotin plus pembrolizumab (EVP) in advanced urothelial carcinoma (aUC): Real-world experience in Alberta, Canada.
Samad Sayed, Rishikesh Kumar, Martin Zarba, Amina Taleb, Simon Mairs, Naveen S. Basappa, Michael Paul Kolinsky, Meghan Elizabeth Mahoney, Vishal Navani, Tina Cheng, Richard M. Lee-Ying, Safiya Karim, Scott A. North, Daniel Yick Chin Heng, Steven M. Yip, Nimira S. Alimohamed188
Background:
EVP has demonstrated a survival benefit in advanced urothelial carcinoma (aUC) clinical trials. However real-world toxicity patterns, timing of onset, and prognostic significance of treatment-related adverse effects (AEs) remain incompletely characterized. We evaluated outcomes, toxicity, and dose modifications among patients with aUC treated with first-line EVP in routine clinical practice.
Methods:
We conducted a retrospective, multicenter analysis of aUC patients treated with first-line EVP in Alberta, Canada (Sep 2024–Jan 2026). AEs were graded using CTCAE v5.0. Time to AE onset, dose modifications, and treatment discontinuation were assessed. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed.
Results:
Sixty patients were included (median age 69 years, 82% male). Primary tumor site was bladder in 68% and upper genitourinary tract in 23%. Histology was pure urothelial in 80% and mixed in 20%. Disease was metastatic in 80% (55% visceral, 25% nodal-only); 20% had locally advanced/unresectable disease. Median follow-up was 10.3 months. Initial enfortumab vedotin (EV) dose was 1.25 mg/kg in 76% of patients and 1 mg/kg in 23%; the median number of EVP cycles was 8. Six-month PFS was significantly higher with an initial EV dose of 1.25 mg/kg compared with 1 mg/kg (78% vs 51%; HR 0.35, 95% CI 0.15–0.83; p = 0.017). The most common AEs of any grade were rash (63%), fatigue (57%), and neuropathy (47%). Grade III–IV AEs included rash (15%), fatigue (8%), and mucositis (3%) with median onset at 16, 95, and 66 days. Thromboembolic events occurred in 10%. No patients died due to treatment toxicity. Dose reductions occurred in 62%, dose delays in 45%, and treatment discontinuation in 38% (EV alone 25%, pembrolizumab alone 8%, both 5%). Median cycles before treatment discontinuation were 5 for rash and fatigue, and 6 for neuropathy. One-year OS was significantly higher among patients who developed a rash compared with those who did not (72% vs 46%; p = 0.018). No significant OS differences were observed with development of neuropathy (69% vs 56%; p = 0.18) or fatigue (61% vs 64%; p = 0.62).
Conclusions:
In this real-world cohort, EVP demonstrated efficacy and safety consistent with clinical trial data. Toxicity-related dose modifications were common but generally manageable. Higher initial EV dosing was associated with improved PFS, and treatment-related rash correlated with superior OS, suggesting a potential role for rash as an early biomarker of treatment response.
Treatment related AEs and outcomes.