[Features of BCG-therapy in treating patients with superficial bladder cancer]

To specify features of BCG-therapy which may predict effectiveness of the treatment and optimize the treatment regimen.

Intravesical immunotherapy with imuron (a 6-week course) was conducted in 62 patients with superficial cancer of the urinary bladder who had undergone surgical treatment and were prognostically poor. 51 patients of group 1 received maintenance therapy as 3 weekly instillations each 3 months for the first year followed by once in 6 months. 11 patients of group 2 received single monthly instillations. All the patients registered their complaints, measured body temperature with fixation of maximal value. The diagnosis of the recurrence was made with control cystoscopy carried out each 3 months in the first postoperative year and later once in 6 months.

Recurrent tumors were observed in 25 (49%) and 7 (63.6%) patients of groups 1 and 2, respectively. Side effects (high body temperature, dysuria and macrohematuria) were reported in group 1 during basic treatment. Side effects occurred also in maintenance. They were more pronounced than in group 2.

Intravesical BCG-therapy causes cystitis considered a normal reaction to treatment. Fever indicates an inflammatory reaction which is rather a positive sign of immune reaction and may serve a prognostic factor.