Overview of advanced urothelial cancer trials of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group

Advanced transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelium is an aggressive malignancy characterized by a median survival period of less than 1 year. Although this disease is moderately chemotherapy-sensitive, to the authors' knowledge the impact of therapy reported to date on survival has been minimal. The authors presented an overview of the results from a series of clinical trials conducted over a 25-year period under the auspices of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. They reviewed a series of antineoplastic agents identified by these studies with activity in advanced urothelial cancer and discussed current and future investigational goals and directions.