Prospective phase II trial of alternating intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and interferon alpha IIE in the treatment and prevention of superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder: Preliminary results
S. Bazarbashi et al., Prospective phase II trial of alternating intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and interferon alpha IIE in the treatment and prevention of superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder: Preliminary results, J SURG ONC, 74(3), 2000, pp. 181-184
Background and Objective: Evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of alternating
intravesical instillation of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin(BCG) and Interferon
alpha2-b (IFN) in the treatment and prevention of recurrence of superficial
transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the urinary bladder.
Methods: Patients with Ta, T1 tumors and carcinoma in situ, either recurren
t (TaG1, T1G1) or primary/recurrent TaG2 TaG3, T1G2, T1G3 and Tis (T: Tumor
stage, G: grade) are eligible. All patients received intravesical BCG 81 m
g on Weeks 1, 3, 5 and 7 and IFN 100 million units on Weeks 2, 4, 6 and 8.
Cystoscopy performed 4 weeks after completion of therapy, and every 3 month
s thereafter.
Results: There was a total of 37 patients. Thirteen had TaG2, 13 T1G2, 1 T1
G1, 4 TaG1, 1 TaG3, 3 T1G3 and 7 Tis (5 concurrent with other above tumors)
. Index lesion cleared in 7/10 patients. With a median follow-up of 26.2 mo
nth, 22 patients (59%) failed above therapy. Median time to treatment failu
re was 7 months. Seven, 6 and 9 patients recurred at a higher, lower and sa
me stage or grade respectively. No grade 3 or 4 toxicity was encountered.
Conclusions: Alternating intravesical BCG and IFN is effective and well tol
erated therapy for superficial TCC of urinary bladder. J Surg. Oncol. 2000;
74:181-184. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.