Immunotherapy options for painful bladder syndrome: what's the potential?

Painful bladder syndrome/interstitial cystitis (PBS/IC) is an enigmatic disease characterized by lack of evidence-based knowledge and an ongoing scientific debate regarding its definition, pathogenesis, diagnostic and treatment algorithm. An autoimmune theory for PBS/IC etiology has suggested immunotherapy as a potential treatment choice. Areas covered: In this review, the authors report existing and future immunotherapeutic options, potentially valuable to the management of PBS/IC while evidence for the immunological aspect of PBS/IC pathogenesis are also presented.