title: Current state of immunotherapy for bladder cancer.
abstract: Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) has been shown to be the most effective agent for the treatment of superficial bladder cancer since its approval by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of carcinoma in situ of the bladder in 1990. Recently, augmentation of BCG immunotherapy with interferon-alpha2b and other agents is emerging as salvage therapy for those patients who fail initial treatment. This review summarizes the role of various immunotherapeutic agents in the treatment of bladder cancer, with special emphasis on the appropriate administration and schedule of BCG therapy as well as salvage with the combination of BCG with interferon-alpha2b.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Unit 446, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Houston, TX 77030, USA. kasso98@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Wassim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kassouf
authors.forename: Ashish M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kamat
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D003596:Cytosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005737:Garlic / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007378:Interleukins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011379:Prognosis; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001500:BCG Vaccine; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007378:Interleukins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014815:Vitamins; D003596:Cytosine; C033560:bropirimine