RESULTS OF BCG IMMUNOTHERAPY OF SUPERFICIAL TRANSITIONAL CELL-CARCINOMA OF THE URINARY-BLADDER

Previous randomized studies have shown that in cases of superficial urothelial carcinoma or carcinoma in situ of the urinary bladder, complete and long-lasting remission can be obtained by immunotherapy with bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). Such studies have shown that BCG reduces the recurrence rate significantly compared with transurethral resection alone. Our 6-year experience with BCG Pasteur strain (and Connaught strain, respectively) in tumour stages pTis, pTa and pT1 (G I-II) shows lasting remission in 88.5 % (73 %) of 78 (26) patients after transurethral resection of the tumour. A complete remission was found in 92 % of patients with carcinoma in situ (12 patients). The local and the rare systemic side effects were all of limited duration, tolerable, easily treated and fully reversible.