Gemcitabine, Cisplatin, Plus Lenalidomide as First-line Therapy for Patients With Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma

Urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder is the second most common genitourinary malignancy. Based on the results of a large randomized study comparing MVAC with gemcitabine plus cisplatin, the latter regimen became a treatment standard based on improved tolerability. While the tolerability of chemotherapy for patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma has improved, there have been no significant improvements in efficacy since the advent of MVAC in the 1980's and novel approaches are clearly needed. The current study will explore the safety and activity of lenalidomide in combination with gemcitabine plus cisplatin as first line chemotherapy in subjects with metastatic urothelial carcinoma. The primary objective of the phase Ib portion will be to determine the recommended phase II dose of the combination of gemcitabine, cisplatin, plus lenalidomide in patients with advanced/metastatic urothelial carcinoma. The primary objective of the phase II portion will be the progression-free survival at 1 year. The secondary objectives are to evaluate the activity (as determined by objective response rate); and to determine the safety (per the Common Terminology for Adverse Events version 4.0) of combination therapy with gemcitabine, cisplatin plus lenalidomide; to evaluate lenalidomide as maintenance treatment in patients achieving an objective response or stable disease following completion of 6 cycles of combination therapy and; to determine the impact of treatment on peripheral blood immune cell subsets and circulating tumor cells. Patients will receive gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 IV on days 1 + 8 and cisplatin 70 mg/m2 IV on day 1 of each 21 day cycle. Lenalidomide will be given orally on days 1-14 and the dose will be escalated in successive cohorts during the phase Ib portion to define the recommended phase II dose. Patients will continue gemcitabine, cisplatin, plus lenalidomide for up to 6 cycles, in the absence of disease progression or prohibitive toxicity. After completion of 6 cycles of therapy, patients who have achieved at least "stable disease" will proceed with "maintenance" lenalidomide given orally on days 1-21 of each 28-day cycle. Treatment will continue, in the absence of prohibitive toxicity, until the time of disease progression.