Use of an interferon-gamma based assay to assess bladder cancer patients treated with intravesical BCG and exposed to tuberculosis.
OBJECTIVE
Compare the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT) assay and the tuberculin skin test (TST) in bladder cancer patients receiving high dose BCG therapy (BCG patients).


METHODS
BCG patients and healthy visitors, both exposed to tuberculosis, were screened with a TST and QFT.


RESULTS
QFT-TST correlation was excellent in visitors, but poor in BCG patients. BCG therapy predicted a positive TST (p<0.001) but not a positive QFT (p=0.35).


CONCLUSIONS
The management of BCG patients was impacted, by measuring the QFT.
Silverman
M S
MS
University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. msilverman@rogers.com
Reynolds
D
D
Kavsak
P A
PA
Garay
J
J
Daly
A
A
Davis
I
I
D000283:Administration, Intravesical; D000368:Aged; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000150:complications*; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*
D001500:BCG Vaccine; D007371:Interferon-gamma