title: Intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin versus epirubicin in the prophylaxis of recurrent and/or multiple superficial bladder tumours.
abstract: A prospective, randomized trial was conducted to evaluate and compare the effects of modified adjuvant intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and epirubicin regimens in patients with superficial bladder cancer. One hundred thirty-two individuals with recurrent and/or multiple neoplasms, i.e. at high risk for tumour recurrence and progression, were enrolled. After complete transurethral resection of their tumours, the patients received a 6-week course of BCG instillations or an early 4-week course of epirubicin instillations as their initial therapy. Those with stage Ta and grade 1 neoplasms who remained free of recurrences received maintenance therapy consisting of single quarterly instillations. However, for those with stage T1 cancer of any grade or stage Ta of grade 2 or 3 neoplasms who also remained free of recurrences, the treatment schedules were modified: they received, instead of single maintenance doses, 3 weekly instillations of epirubicin at months 3 and 6 of follow-up, or a 3-week course of BCG at month 6 of follow-up. The recurrence-free rates did not differ significantly between the two study groups (44% for epirubicin versus 55% for BCG), for an identical median follow-up of 43 months. However, in terms of relative risk of recurrences, disease-free intervals and recurrence rate per 100 patient-months, a significant benefit in favour of BCG when compared with epirubicin was demonstrated in patients who had stage T1 or grade 3 neoplasms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University Hospital of Rio-Patras, Greece.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Melekos
authors.forename: I E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Zarakovitis
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Fokaefs
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dandinis
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chionis
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bouropoulos
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dauaher
mesh_terms: D000283:Administration, Intravesical; D000368:Aged; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D015251:Epirubicin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009163:Mycobacterium bovis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D015251:Epirubicin