Why is BCG used for bladder cancer?

BCG is a type of immunotherapy drug. Immunotherapy drugs encourage the body’s immune system to fight cancer cells. For bladder cancer, BCG is given directly into the bladder (intravesical). This can make the bladder react in a way that makes the immune system get rid of cancer cells.

Does BCG treatment for bladder cancer work?

BCG is type of immunotherapy for bladder cancer. Doctors typically use BCG to prevent cancer returning following TURBT in people with early-stage disease. BCG is not effective against bladder cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.

What is the success rate of BCG treatment for bladder cancer?

A recent study was published evaluating maintenance BCG therapy [23]. The authors observed a three-year recurrence free survival of 75.3\% and disease-free survival of 96.1\%. However, they reported a high complication rate of 81.5\%.

What if BCG does not work for bladder cancer?

BCG failure usually carries a risk of recurrence but rarely of progression. For low-grade failure, intravesical chemotherapy is a valid option. This scenario is different from that where BCG intravesical therapy is unsuccessful in high-risk T1 disease and/or CIS, where a risk of progression may sometimes reach 50\%.

How often is BCG given for bladder cancer?

BCG is in a liquid solution that is put into the bladder with a catheter. The person then holds the solution in the bladder for two hours before urinating. The treatment is usually given once per week for six weeks, starting approximately two to three weeks after the last TURBT.

Is BCG the same as chemotherapy?

Conclusions: Intravesical BCG significantly reduces the risk of short and long-term treatment failure compared with intravesical chemotherapy. Therefore, it is considered to be the intravesical agent of choice in the treatment of CIS.

How many times can you have BCG treatment for bladder cancer?

BCG INTO THE BLADDER If you have decided to have intravesical therapy with BCG, you will usually have BCG treatment weekly for 6 weeks. You may then have further BCG therapy 6 weeks after that, and then periodically for the next 3 years – maintenance BCG therapy.

What happens after BCG treatment for bladder cancer?

Treatment with BCG can cause a wide range of symptoms. It’s common to have flu-like symptoms, such as fever, achiness, chills, and fatigue. These can last for 2 to 3 days after treatment. It also commonly causes a burning feeling in the bladder, the need to urinate often, and even blood in the urine.

Does BCG treatment weaken the immune system?

BCG is a commonly used vaccine against tuberculosis (TB) and contains bacteria from the same family as TB bacteria. This bacterium has been altered to reduce the risk of infection whilst retaining the ability to stimulate the immune system sufficiently for its beneficial effect.

Can bladder cancer return after BCG?

In some cases, maintenance BCG treatment will be recommended for one year for those at intermediate risk of recurrence and for three years for those at higher risk for recurrence. Even in people who are treated appropriately, bladder cancer often recurs.

How effective is BCG immunotherapy?

Studies have consistently shown that BCG treatment can eradicate this cancer in 70\% of patients with CIS who meet these criteria. To prevent cancer recurrence, long-term maintenance therapy following the induction phase is typically necessary.

How long does BCG stay in your system?

BCG can remain in urine for 6 hours after your treatment, so each time you urinate, you should bleach the toilet in your home to neutralize the vaccine.