FGFR Testing in Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma—Who, When, and How to Test
Metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) is a lethal cancer with limited therapeutic options. Advances in genomic and transcriptomic research have deepened the understanding of mUC biology, leading to the identification of clinically relevant molecular alterations that represent potential actionable targets. This has broadened the treatment landscape of the disease to include novel agents, such as antibody-drug conjugates (e.g., enfortumab vedotin) and targeted therapies, including the pan-fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) inhibitor erdafitinib. Genomic alterations in <i>FGFR3</i> are well-established oncogenic drivers in bladder cancer and represent predictive biomarkers of response to FGFR-targeted therapies. The phase III THOR trial demonstrated the clinical benefit of erdafitinib in previously treated mUC patients harboring <i>FGFR3</i> alterations and supported its subsequent approval by the European Medicines Agency. In this context, accurate molecular profiling is essential to guide patient selection for FGFR inhibitor therapy. Equally important is the standardization and timely implementation of <i>FGFR3</i> testing in clinical practice to optimize treatment planning. This review addresses key considerations in <i>FGFR3</i> testing in mUC and discusses how it can be routinely incorporated into clinical practice.
Authors
- Nuno Vau
- Arnaldo Figueiredo (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7157-0081)
- João Moreira-Pinto (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9245-3733)
- André Mansinho
- José Carlos Machado
- João Ramalho-Carvalho
- Cátia Faustino
Institutions
- Champalimaud Foundation (PT)
- Johnson & Johnson (United States) (US)
- Universidade do Porto (PT)
- Hospitais da Universidade de Coimbra (PT)
- Instituto Português de Oncologia Francisco Gentil (PT)
- IPO Porto (PT)
- Hospital da Luz (PT)
- Hospital Beatriz Ângelo (PT)
- Hospital de Santa Maria (PT)
- i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto (PT)
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (PT)
- University of Coimbra (PT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Cancers
- Published
- 2026-01-29
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18030444
- Primary Topic
- Bladder and Urothelial Cancer Treatments
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00