ABSTRACT

Transurethral resection (TUR) has been used in the treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. These tumors are recurrent and have a risk of progression despite complete resection. We evaluated the efficiency of intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and interferon-α 2A for the prevention of recurrence and progression in these patients.

We evaluated 58 patients with primary or recurrent non-muscle invasive bladder tumors followed by urology clinic between 1992 and 1996. The patients were divided into two groups: the BCG group (n=29) and the interferon-α 2A group (n=29). The post-treatment recurrence rates were compared betweent the groups.

A total of 58 patients, aged between 31 and 78 years (mean age, 59.1 years) was evaluated. Thirty eight patients had primary tumors and 20 had secondary tumors. Twenty-two patients had tumors in single locations and 36 had tumors in multiple locations. Our success rate was 82.8% in the BCG group and 48.3% in the interferon-α 2A group.

BCG is the first and the most efficient agent for preventing the recurrence and progression of non-muscle invasive bladder cancers. Interferon-α 2A can be used for the prevention of recurrence via intravesical application. However, its efficiency is low and the cost of treatment is high. Therefore, it is not recommend for routine use.

Keywords: Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, Bacillus Calmette-Guérin, interferon-α 2A, immunotherapy