Incidence of granulomatous prostatitis and acid-fast bacilli after intravesical BCG therapy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the incidence of granulomatous prostatitis and acid-fast bacilli (AFB) after intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) therapy for superficial bladder transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) or carcinoma in situ (CIS).


METHODS
One hundred nineteen men underwent radical cystoprostatectomy for invasive bladder cancer from January 1, 1980 through December 31, 1995. Twelve patients had received intravesical BCG therapy before undergoing cystoprostatectomy. Nine men who did not receive intravesical BCG therapy before undergoing cystoprostatectomy served as controls. The surgical specimens were examined with a Ziehl-Neelsen stain for the presence of granulomatous prostatitis and for the presence of AFB.


RESULTS
Granulomatous prostatitis was identified in 9 of 12 patients (75%) who had received intravesical BCG therapy. AFB were identified in 7 of 9 patients (77%) with granulomatous prostatitis.


CONCLUSIONS
Pathologic evidence of granulomatous prostatitis with AFB is a common occurrence after intravesical BCG therapy and its incidence is far greater than the reported incidence of symptomatic granulomatous prostatitis. AFB discovered during the evaluation of either an increased level of prostate-specific antigen or prostate nodule in otherwise asymptomatic men may require no specific therapy.
LaFontaine
P D
PD
Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA.
Middleman
B R
BR
Graham
S D
SD
Sanders
W H
WH
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000283:Administration, Intravesical; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000628:therapy*; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000628:therapy*; D006099:Granuloma / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D001500:BCG Vaccine