Bcg treatment what is it

Your doctor will help you work through your options and decide on the best treatment for you. BCG has been used to treat noninvasive bladder cancer for a long time. Based on records from to , the five-year relative survival rates were Learn what to expect after a stage 3 bladder cancer diagnose, including treatment options, outlook, and complications. Learn about papillary urothelial carcinoma, including treatment options, prognosis, and life expectancy. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect.

Who can have this treatment? Is there any preparation involved? What happens during treatment? What can I expect following treatment? What side effects can occur? How effective is this treatment? Note: If a drug has been approved for one use, physicians sometimes elect to use this same drug for other problems if they believe it might be helpful.

The amount of BCG that you will receive depends on many factors, including the manufacturer of the product you receive there are multiple , your general health or other health problems, and the type of cancer or condition you have. Your doctor will determine your exact dosage and schedule.

This systemic reaction to BCG can occur following exposure to BCG within one week of either biopsy, TUR trans-urethral resection surgery, or traumatic bladder catheterization.

Symptoms of a systemic BCG reaction include unexplained high fever lasting hours or more, chills, confusion, dizziness or lightheadedness symptoms of low blood pressure or shortness of breath. A systemic BCG reaction can cause pneumonitis inflammation in the lungs , hepatitis inflammation in the liver , prostatitis inflammation in the prostate gland , epididmal-orchitis inflammation in the testes , respiratory distress and other symptoms of sepsis systemic infection.

Not all side effects are listed above. Side effects that are very rare -- occurring in less than about 10 percent of patients -- are not listed here. But you should always inform your health care provider if you experience any unusual symptoms.

Contact your healthcare provider immediately, day or night, if you should experience any of the following symptoms:. The following symptoms require medical attention, but are not an emergency.

Contact your health care provider within 24 hours of noticing any of the following:. You will be monitored regularly by your doctor while you are receiving treatment with BCG. Your doctor will order blood tests and other tests as needed to monitor side effects and check your response to therapy. It works against cancer as a biologic response modifier.

Biological response modifiers are substances that have no direct antitumor effect but are able to trigger the immune system to indirectly affect tumors. BCG is thought to bring about an immune response in the bladder by triggering an inflammatory reaction in the bladder.

BCG is a type of immunotherapy drug. For bladder cancer, BCG is given directly into the bladder intravesical. This can make the bladder react in a way that makes the immune system get rid of cancer cells.

You may have BCG directly into your bladder after surgery to remove non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. This treatment helps prevent the cancer from coming back in the bladder lining. It also reduces the risk of the cancer becoming muscle-invasive.

Doctors usually suggest this treatment if you have a high-risk bladder cancer, or sometimes if you have an intermediate-risk bladder cancer. There is usually at least 2 weeks between the surgery to remove the cancer and the start of BCG treatment.

This is to give your bladder enough time to heal from the surgery. You usually have BCG treatment once a week for 6 weeks. This is sometimes called the induction course. You may be offered more BCG treatments. This is usually called maintenance treatment. If you are having a course of BCG directly into your bladder intravesical BCG , you have it in the hospital outpatient department. Your nurse or doctor will give you advice on preparing for your treatment.

For example, they will ask you to limit the amount of fluids you drink 4 to 6 hours before BCG treatment. This can:. People who take water tablets diuretics should take them after the treatment. Home Bladder cancer Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer treatment Intravesical immunotherapy Intravesical immunotherapy.

Learn more about: How is BCG given? How is BCG given? Let your doctor know of any other medicines or complementary therapies you are using, as they may interfere with how well the bladder cancer responds to BCG. For example, the drug warfarin a blood thinner is known to interact with BCG. Side effects of BCG Common side effects of BCG include needing to urinate more often; burning or pain when urinating; blood in the urine; a mild fever; and tiredness.

BCG and safety at home For the first six hours after BCG treatment, sit down on the toilet when urinating to avoid splashing. Pour 2 cups of household bleach or a sachet of sodium hydrochlorite if provided by your treatment team into the toilet bowl. Wait 15 minutes before flushing and wipe the toilet seat with bleach. If you are wearing incontinence pads, take care when disposing of them. Pour bleach on the used pad, allow it to soak in, then place the pad in a plastic bag.

Seal the bag and put it in your rubbish bin.