INTRAVESICAL BCG THERAPY OF SUPERFICIAL BLADDER-CANCER - STUDY OF ADVERSE-EFFECTS

Immunotherapy with intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) has pro ved to be more effective than most chemotherapeutic agents in the prop hylaxis and treatment of superficial bladder tumours. Side-effects, bo th local and systemic, are the main limitations against its use. With the aim of lowering the incidence and severity of side-effects, we sta rted to use two vials of BCG, Connaught type, per instillation, instea d of three vials, as recommended by the manufacturer. We prospectively reviewed adverse effects of BCG treatment at the lower dosage in 92 p atients. Compared with other series, we found a similar incidence of a dverse effects except for some local effects as haematuria which showe d a higher incidence, but we also found a lower rate of tumour relapse . Four primary tumours were recorded during the study period. In our o pen study, a lower BCG intravesical dosage is not followed by a reduct ion in side effects.