BCG can be used for the adjuvant treatment of bladder cancer, which needs to be used under doctor’s guidance.
Bladder cancer is mostly non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, transurethral cystectomy of bladder tumor is the main treatment option, but the rate of tumor residue after surgery is not optimistic, in addition, there are uncertainties such as number of tumors, size, grading, and carcinoma in situ.
Some studies claim that the recurrence and progression rates within 1 year after surgery can reach 15%-61% and 1%-17%, respectively. Surgery combined with intravesical adjuvant bladder perfusion therapy is the mainstay of treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer both at home and abroad, which can effectively reduce the recurrence rate and kill the free tumor tissues/cells after surgery.
Usually, after transurethral cystectomy, chemotherapy is recommended immediately; for some patients, maintenance cysto-chemotherapy/immunotherapy is also needed, and the maintenance time is about 1-3 years (e.g., weekly cysto-chemotherapy in the first 8 weeks, and then monthly cysto-chemotherapy later on).
Commonly used drugs for conventional bladder perfusion chemotherapy are piroxicam, epirubicin, doxorubicin, mitomycin, etc.; and commonly used drugs for perfusion immunotherapy are BCG vaccine, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, etc. can also be used in some patients.
In conclusion, BCG vaccine can be used for postoperative bladder tumor infusion immunotherapy to reduce the possibility of tumor recurrence, and it is recommended to go to a regular hospital to evaluate the condition and follow the doctor’s instructions to avoid delaying the condition.