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Updated June 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 2INTERVENTIONAL

Combining Immunotherapy and Radiation Therapy to Help Patients Avoid Bladder Removal After Treatment Shrinks Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer, BRIGHT Trial

Single Arm Phase II Study of Bladder Preservation With Immunoradiotherapy After a Clinically Meaningful Response to Neoadjuvant Therapy in Patients With Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (BRIGHT)

Combining Immunotherapy and Radiation Therapy to Help Patients Avoid Bladder Removal After Treatment Shrinks Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer, BRIGHT Trial (NCT07061964) is a Phase 2 interventional studying Muscle Invasive Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma and Stage II Bladder Cancer AJCC v8, sponsored by National Cancer Institute (NCI). RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

Important: This information is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

About This Trial

This phase II trial tests the effect of giving pembrolizumab in combination with radiation therapy after chemotherapy in preventing surgery to remove the bladder in patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer. Standard of care therapy includes chemotherapy before surgery (neoadjuvant) to shrink or get rid of the tumor. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the tumor, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays, particles, or radioactive seeds to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Photon beam radiation therapy is a type of radiation therapy that uses x-rays or gamma rays that come from a special machine called a linear accelerator. The radiation dose is delivered at the surface of the body and goes into the tumor and through the body. Giving pembrolizumab in combination with radiation therapy after neoadjuvant chemotherapy may help prevent surgical removal of the bladder in patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer.

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 2 trials evaluate whether a treatment actually works against Muscle Invasive Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma and continue monitoring side effects. Phase 2 enrolls larger groups (typically 100–300 patients) and produces the first real efficacy signal. A successful Phase 2 readout is what unlocks the much larger Phase 3 confirmatory trials needed for FDA approval.

This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.

Target enrollment of 111 participants puts this in the typical range for a Phase 2-style efficacy study or a moderate Phase 3 trial in a focused Muscle Invasive Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma subpopulation. At this scale, the study has enough statistical power to detect a clear treatment effect but is not the largest cohort in the field.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: - Participants must have histologic evidence of cT2-T4aN0M0 muscle invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder within 180 days prior to starting neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) - Participants must have had CT chest/abdomen/pelvis (C/A/P), MRI C/A/P or PET within 60 days prior to starting NAT to determine cT2-T4aN0M0 - Participants must have undergone TURBT with biopsy of areas of prior disease and systematic biopsies (left and right lateral, dome, posterior wall and trigone) and radiologic staging showing clinically T0-T1 disease within 60 days after the last dose of NAT. At least 4 out of 5 systematic biopsies must be performed - NOTE: This TURBT must be within 90 days prior to registration. Registration must be within 90 days after the last dose of NAT - Participants must have imaging of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis performed using CT or MRI preferably with contrast. Fludeoxyglucose F-18 (FDG) PET-CT can also be used for staging. If FDG PET-CT is used, then it is at the discretion of the investigator if they want to additionally obtain diagnostic CT or MRI with contrast within 60 days after the last dose of NAT - Participants with lymph nodes ≥ 1.0 cm in the shortest cross-sectional diameter on imaging (CT or MRI of abdomen and pelvis) after completion of NAT must have a PET-CT within 70 days prior to registration. A biopsy in the setting of negative PET-CT is not required unless there is strong clinical suspicion for nodal involvement with tumor. Participants with a positive PET are deemed ineligible unless a biopsy is performed and shows no evidence of tumor involvement - NOTE: For questions regarding the above eligibility criteria, please contact the study chairs in addition to the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) Statistics and Data Management Center (SDMC) - Participants must not have evidence of ≥ T2, or N1-3, or M1 disease after NAT ...See full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language
Inclusion Criteria: * Participants must have histologic evidence of cT2-T4aN0M0 muscle invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder within 180 days prior to starting neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) * Participants must have had CT chest/abdomen/pelvis (C/A/P), MRI C/A/P or PET within 60 days prior to starting NAT to determine cT2-T4aN0M0 * Participants must have undergone TURBT with biopsy of areas of prior disease and systematic biopsies (left and right lateral, dome, posterior wall and trigone) and radiologic staging showing clinically T0-T1 disease within 60 days after the last dose of NAT. At least 4 out of 5 systematic biopsies must be performed * NOTE: This TURBT must be within 90 days prior to registration. Registration must be within 90 days after the last dose of NAT * Participants must have imaging of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis performed using CT or MRI preferably with contrast. Fludeoxyglucose F-18 (FDG) PET-CT can also be used for staging. If FDG PET-CT is used, then it is at the discretion of the investigator if they want to additionally obtain diagnostic CT or MRI with contrast within 60 days after the last dose of NAT * Participants with lymph nodes ≥ 1.0 cm in the shortest cross-sectional diameter on imaging (CT or MRI of abdomen and pelvis) after completion of NAT must have a PET-CT within 70 days prior to registration. A biopsy in the setting of negative PET-CT is not required unless there is strong clinical suspicion for nodal involvement with tumor. Participants with a positive PET are deemed ineligible unless a biopsy is performed and shows no evidence of tumor involvement * NOTE: For questions regarding the above eligibility criteria, please contact the study chairs in addition to the Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG) Statistics and Data Management Center (SDMC) * Participants must not have evidence of ≥ T2, or N1-3, or M1 disease after NAT * Participants must not have the presence of small cell, neuroendocrine carcinoma, plasmacytoid variants on any pathology * Participants must not have had urothelial carcinoma or histological variant at any site outside of the urinary bladder within 24 months prior to registration except Ta/T1/carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the upper urinary tract, including renal pelvis or ureter if the participant underwent complete nephroureterectomy * NOTE: Participants with mixed variant histology will be eligible for the trial if the majority (\> 50%) of the tumor is urothelial cell carcinoma * Participants will be allowed to continue PD-1/L-1 inhibitor therapy received as part of standard of care neoadjuvant therapy while they undergo pre-registration assessments (TURBT and imaging) * Participants must have received at least 3 and no more than 6 cycles of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved NAT for MIBC. These include cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy (e.g. cisplatin and gemcitabine \[GC\] with or without PD-1/L1 inhibitors) dose dense or accelerated methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin and cisplatin (MVAC) or enfortumab vedotin with PD-1/L1 inhibitor * Participants must not have had anti-PD-1, anti PD-L1, anti PD-L2 or anti-CTLA4 antibody, any other antibody or drug targeting T-cell co-stimulation, enfortumab vedotin, or any other drug targeting nectin-4 other than for neoadjuvant treatment for MIBC * NOTE: Prior intravesical immunotherapy or chemotherapy for non-muscle invasive disease is allowed * Participants must not have had prior pelvic radiotherapy * Participants must not have received a live attenuated vaccination within 28 days prior to registration * Participants with conditions requiring immunosuppressive doses of steroids (\> 10 mg/day of prednisone or equivalent) or other immunosuppressive medications must not be taking steroids at time of trial registration * Participants must be ≥ 18 years old at the time of registration * Participants must have Zubrod performance status of 0-2 * Participants must have a complete medical history and physical exam within 28 days prior to registration * Leukocytes ≥ 3 x 10\^3/uL (within 28 days prior to registration) * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1.5 x 10\^3/uL (within 28 days prior to registration) * Platelets ≥ 100 x 10\^3/uL (within 28 days prior to registration) * Total bilirubin ≤ institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) unless history of Gilbert's disease (within 28 days prior to registration) * Participants with history of Gilbert's disease must have total bilirubin ≤ 5 x institutional ULN * Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 3 x institutional ULN (within 28 days prior to registration) * Participants must have a creatinine ≤ the institutional (I)ULN OR measured OR calculated creatinine clearance ≥ 40 mL/min using the following Cockcroft-Gault Formula. This specimen must have been drawn and processed within 28 days prior to registration * Participants with known history or current symptoms of cardiac disease, or history of treatment with cardiotoxic agents, should have a clinical risk assessment of cardiac function using the New York Heart Association Functional Classification. To be eligible for this trial, patients should be class II or better * Participants with a history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infection must be on effective anti-retroviral therapy at registration and have undetectable viral load test on the most recent test results obtained within 6 months prior to registration * For participants with evidence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, the HBV viral load must be undetectable on suppressive therapy, if indicated * Participants with a history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection must have been treated and cured (defined as undetectable HCV viral load) * Participants must not have a prior or concurrent malignancy whose natural history or treatment (in the opinion of the treating physician) has the potential to interfere with the safety or efficacy assessment of the investigational regimen * Participants must not be pregnant or nursing (nursing includes breast milk fed to an infant by any means, including from the breast, milk expressed by hand, or pumped). Individuals who are of reproductive potential must have agreed to use an effective contraceptive method with details provided as a part of the consent process. A person who has had menses at any time in the preceding 12 consecutive months or who has semen likely to contain sperm is considered to be of "reproductive potential." In addition to routine contraceptive methods, "effective contraception" also includes refraining from sexual activity that might result in pregnancy and surgery intended to prevent pregnancy (or with a side-effect of pregnancy prevention) including hysterectomy, bilateral oophorectomy, bilateral tubal ligation/occlusion, and vasectomy with testing showing no sperm in the semen * Participants must be offered the opportunity to participate in specimen banking * Participants who can complete the PRO-CTCAE questionnaire in English or Spanish will be offered the opportunity to participate in the optional patient-reported outcome study * NOTE: As a part of the Oncology Patient Enrollment Network (OPEN) registration process the treating institution's identity is provided in order to ensure that the current (within 365 days) date of institutional review board approval for this study has been entered in the system * Participants must be informed of the investigational nature of this study and must sign and give informed consent in accordance with institutional and federal guidelines * For participants with impaired decision-making capabilities, legally authorized representatives may sign and give informed consent on behalf of study participants in accordance with applicable federal, local, and central institutional review board (CIRB) regulations

Treatments Being Tested

PROCEDURE

Biospecimen Collection

Undergo tissue, urine, and blood sample collection

PROCEDURE

Computed Tomography

Undergo CT

PROCEDURE

Cystoscopy

Undergo cystoscopy

PROCEDURE

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Undergo MRI

BIOLOGICAL

Pembrolizumab

Given IV

RADIATION

Photon Beam Radiation Therapy

Undergo photon beam RT

PROCEDURE

Positron Emission Tomography

Undergo PET

OTHER

Questionnaire Administration

Ancillary studies

PROCEDURE

Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor

Undergo TURBT

Locations (20)

Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.

University of Alabama at Birmingham Cancer Center
Birmingham, Alabama, United States
Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center
Gilbert, Arizona, United States
Mayo Clinic Hospital in Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona, United States
Highlands Oncology Group - Fayetteville
Fayetteville, Arkansas, United States
Highlands Oncology Group - Rogers
Rogers, Arkansas, United States
Highlands Oncology Group
Springdale, Arkansas, United States
Tower Cancer Research Foundation
Beverly Hills, California, United States
City of Hope Corona
Corona, California, United States
City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center
Duarte, California, United States
City of Hope at Irvine Lennar
Irvine, California, United States
City of Hope Antelope Valley
Lancaster, California, United States
Los Angeles General Medical Center
Los Angeles, California, United States
USC / Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
Los Angeles, California, United States
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center
Los Angeles, California, United States
University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center
Sacramento, California, United States
City of Hope South Pasadena
South Pasadena, California, United States
Cedars-Sinai Cancer - Tarzana
Tarzana, California, United States
City of Hope Upland
Upland, California, United States
UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital
Aurora, Colorado, United States
UCHealth - Cherry Creek
Denver, Colorado, United States

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT07061964), the sponsor (National Cancer Institute (NCI)), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.

Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.

Authoritative Sources

The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCT07061964 clinical trial studying?

This phase II trial tests the effect of giving pembrolizumab in combination with radiation therapy after chemotherapy in preventing surgery to remove the bladder in patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer. Standard of care therapy includes chemotherapy before surgery (neoadjuvant) to shrink or get rid of the tumor. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the tumor, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays, particles, or radioactive seeds to kill cancer c… The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT07061964?

Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.

How do I contact the trial site for NCT07061964?

Contact information registered with ClinicalTrials.gov is shown in the sidebar of this page. Before reaching out, confirm with your treating physician that this trial is appropriate for your situation. The trial site will then walk you through the screening process to determine final eligibility.

Is participating in a clinical trial safe?

Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.

Where can I verify the data on this page?

Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.

How This Page Is Built

Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT07061964. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT07061964. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."

Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

Last updated 2026-06-07 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.