Pembrolizumab and Combination Chemotherapy Before Surgery for the Treatment of Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer

This pilot study is evaluating how well pembrolizumab and combination chemotherapy before surgery work for the treatment of specific types of muscle-invasive bladder cancer that have unusual appearance (variants). Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body`s immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as methotrexate, vinblastine, adriamycin, and cisplatin work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Giving pembrolizumab and combination chemotherapy before surgery may work better in treating patients with these muscle invasive bladder cancer variants compared to chemotherapy alone.