Urinary interleukin-2 monitoring during prolonged bacillus Calmette-Guerin treatment: can it predict the optimal number of instillations?
OBJECTIVE
In patients with superficial bladder cancer treated with a first 6-week instillation course of bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) the induction pattern of urinary interleukin (IL)-2 has been described, and the levels of urinary IL-2 were associated with the clinical response to BCG treatment. We evaluated urinary IL-2 kinetics in patients with recurrent superficial bladder tumor receiving a second or third 6-week BCG instillation course. To our knowledge there have been no studies of prolonged BCG treatment and urinary cytokine responses.


METHODS
Urinary IL-2 was determined in 12 patients with superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder receiving a complete (6-week) second or third BCG instillation course and in 3 patients receiving 3 BCG instillations during a maintenance schedule at month 3. Urinary IL-2 was determined with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using an oligoclonal system.


RESULTS
Of 12 patients 10 had a urinary IL-2 positive response during the subsequent BCG course and at week 1 urinary IL-2 was already increased. Comparing the urinary IL-2 kinetics observed during a second or third with a first course, urinary IL-2 tended to be higher during the first and lower during the last weeks. If the interval between subsequent courses was short (12 months or less) significantly higher urinary IL-2 levels at weeks 1 and 2, and a lower level at week 6 were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
During a repeat BCG instillation course urinary IL-2 reached a maximum at an earlier week, especially if the interval between the subsequent courses was short. Since an association between urinary IL-2 levels and response to BCG treatment during an induction course has been observed, these immunological data argue in favor of a limited number of instillations during prolonged BCG therapy which could reduce side effects as well as costs.
de Reijke
T M
TM
Department of Urology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
De Boer
E C
EC
Kurth
K H
KH
Schamhart
D H
DH
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000283:Administration, Intravesical; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000628:therapy* / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000652:urine*; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000628:therapy* / Q000652:urine*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013997:Time Factors; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy* / Q000652:urine*
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D001500:BCG Vaccine; D007376:Interleukin-2