Bladder cancer: Toxic effects - A BCG balancing act

摘要

Patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer typically receive adjuvant BCG instillations for 3 years after they have undergone transurethral resection. However, this maintenance treatment is associated with considerable toxicity (such as fever, dysuria and urge incontinence), often leading to the interruption or cessation of therapy. A new study has determined that, for patients at intermediate risk of recurrence or progression to muscle-invasive disease, 1 year of BCG therapy offers the same protection as 3 years.