BCG is a type of immunotherapy used to treat high grade non muscle invasive bladder cancer (cancer which affects the bladder lining not the bladder muscle) to prevent the cancer from coming back (recurrence) and spreading (progressing). It is put into the bladder through a catheter and is given once a week for a period of six weeks. This is known as a treatment course. Following this you will require a cystoscopy.
Following the cystoscopy I will usually recommend a maintenance course this means that BCG is given again once a week for 3 weeks approximately 4-6 weeks after your cystoscopy. The maintenance course will then involve further BCG (once a week for three weeks) every 6 months for a 1 year. This regimen has been shown to reduce both recurrence and progression.
Are there any reasons why I should not have BCG?BCG is put into your bladder through the catheter. The catheter will then be removed and you will be asked not to pass urine for 1 hour. You can walk about when the BCG is in your bladder.
How long will the treatment take?You will need to keep the BCG in the bladder for 1 hour.
Are there any side-effects?Most procedures have a potential for side-effects. You should be reassured that, although all these complications are well-recognised, the majority of patients do not suffer any problems after a urological procedure.
Common (greater than 1 in 10)Rare (less than 1 in 50)
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