Bacillus Calmette-Guérin immunotherapy. Techniques and results

Abstract

Intravesical instillation of bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has become an important adjunct in the management of patients with stages Ta and T1 transitional-cell carcinoma of the bladder and carcinoma in situ (CIS). For BCG to be effective, patients should be assigned to the appropriate protocol. With proper treatment, tumor recurrences can be prevented in as many as 80% of patients, residual tumor eradicated in 60%, and CIS eliminated in 70% of appropriately selected patients.