Efficacy of bacillus Calmette-Guérin in the treatment of superficial bladder cancer: the impact of previous intravesical treatment.
OBJECTIVE
To clinically evaluate the role of intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in the management of superficial bladder cancer, focusing on dose, age, high grade/stage, and pretreatment episodes with other therapies in long-term follow-up patients.


METHODS
A total of 213 patients with superficial (Ta-T1) transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder received 6-8 weekly instillations of 40, 60 or 80 mg of Tokyo strain BCG. Further 6-8 monthly applications were given in some cases.


RESULTS
Recurrence-free and progression-free survival rates were compared with reference to dose, age, previous treatment, grade, stage, and high risk categories. Overall recurrence-free rates for 3, 5, and 10 years were 70.8%, 67.1%, and 57.6%, with progression-free survival rates of 94.5%, 93.6%, 90.6%, respectively. In univariate analyses, younger cases demonstrated higher recurrence-free survival rates, but without statistical significance (P = 0.1229). Recurrence-free rates were significantly higher for cases without previous intravesical treatment (P = 0.0010). There was no significant BCG dose-dependence. High grade and high stage patients were confirmed as having higher recurrence and progression rates.


CONCLUSIONS
Intravesical instillation of BCG is the most effective in the long term when chosen as the initial prophylactic therapy for the prevention of recurrence in superficial bladder cancer.
Okamura
Takehiko
T
Department of Urology, J.A. Aichi Anjo Kosei Hospital, Aichi, Japan.
Akita
Hidetoshi
H
Imura
Makoto
M
Kaneko
Tomoyoshi
T
Mizuno
Kentaro
K
Tozawa
Keiichi
K
Kohri
Kenjiro
K
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D019233:Retreatment; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D001500:BCG Vaccine