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Maintenance therapy with intravesical BCG

Diagnosis:

Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (includes Ta, T1, CIS tumors)

Treatment Category:

Maintenance therapy

Treatment:

Maintenance therapy with intravesical BCG

Suitable for:

Suitable for people with early-stage non-invasive bladder cancer that is high grade (aggressive) and is likely to reoccur

How it works:

Maintenance therapy works by giving immunotherapy as part of a two-step treatment regimen to maintain the benefits of an initial treatment. The aim of maintenance therapy is to prevent the cancer reoccurring, or to slow the progression

How it is typically used:

Intravesical BCG can be given as a maintenance therapy to treat early-stage non-invasive bladder cancer, to prevent the cancer reoccurring after initial treatment, such as a TURBT procedure, to remove the tumor

How it is administered:

Liquid medication is put directly into the bladder via a thin tube, called a catheter

Side effects:
  • Flu-like symptoms, including mild fever, aches, chills, fatigue
  • Burning feeling in the bladder
  • Needing to urinate more often
  • Blood in the urine
Additional information:

https://bcan.org/maintenance-therapy-treatment-talk/

https://bcan.org/intravesical-therapy/

https://bcan.org/bladder-cancer-immunotherapy/

Disclaimer: Information and services provided by the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN) are for informational purposes only. The information and services are not intended to be substitutes for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are ill, or suspect that you are ill, seek professional medical attention immediately! BCAN does not recommend or endorse any specific physicians, treatments, procedures or products even though they may be mentioned on this site.

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    BLADDER CANCER BY STATE

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