Medivision presents an excerpt from our 120 minute medical education video Cancer Update: Diagnosis and Treatment of Urologic Cancers, featuring Richard Williams Md. discussing Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy of Superficial Bladder Cancer. The full length film, along with many other medical education titles, is available on VHS or DVD from health-e-mall.com, and also includes Seth Lerner, MD., Ron Bukowski, MD., Chris Logothetis, MD. and Michael Sorodsky, MD. discussing testes cancer, bladder cancer, BCG, alternatives to BCG therapy, and metastatic bladder cancer; also covers renal cell cancer - single agent therapies including IL-2 high dose and alpha interferon, combination therapy of IL-2 low dose and alpha interferon, and surgery to treat renal cells.
Superficial bladder carcinoma includes a diverse group of lesions, ranging from Ta grade I to T1 grade III tumors and high-grade flat CIS. Although it is crucial to distinguish the small group of lesions that carry a serious risk of progression to life-threatening muscle invasive and metastatic disease, the vast majority of superficial tumors have low rates of progression. Rather, they have a significant tendency to recur at multiple sites throughout the urothelium.
Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is a live bacterium related to cow tuberculosis. It is a common treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, particularly for cancers that have a risk of worsening over time. BCG is believed to work by triggering the body's immune system to destroy any cancer cells that remain in the bladder after TURBT (transurethral resection of bladder tumor). BCG is in a liquid solution that is put into the bladder with a catheter. The person then holds the solution in the bladder for two hours before they urinate. The treatment is usually given once per week for six weeks, starting approximately two to three weeks after the last TURBT. Further booster (maintenance) treatments can extend the benefit of BCG.
Intravesical BCG, in combination with TURBT, is the most effective treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. BCG therapy has been shown to delay (although not necessarily prevent) tumor growth to a more advanced stage, decrease the need for surgical removal of the bladder at a later time, and improve overall survival