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The Role of Bacteria in Urology pp 85–97Cite as

BCG for the Treatment of Non-muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer

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Abstract

Bacillus Calmette Guérin (BCG) was developed primarily as a vaccine against tuberculosis, but was found early on to demonstrate an antineoplastic effect of in different cancers. Today the administration of BCG in oncology is limited to intravesical instillation in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Although BCG is one of the most investigated medical cancer treatment in urology, its mechanisms of action are still not fully understood. After instillation into the bladder and internalization of BCG in bladder cancer cells and macrophages, BCG triggers apoptosis of neoplastic cells and promotes activation of T-cells that are responsible for the long-term antitumor defence. BCG is indicated as adjuvant treatment of most patients with high risk NMIBC, and subsequent maintenance treatment for up to 3 years can reduce recurrence and progression. Despite this reduction and optimal BCG therapy, careful patient follow-up is required to detect bladder cancer progression. Ongoing studies are investigating different agents for co-treatment with BCG or modulation of BCG, in order to increase the efficacy of BCG and improve patient outcomes.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urologic Sciences, Vancouver Prostate Centre, 2600 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1M9, Canada

    Roland Seiler MD & Peter C. Black MD

Authors
  1. Roland Seiler MD
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  2. Peter C. Black MD
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Correspondence to Peter C. Black MD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Basic Science Research, The Stone Centre at Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

    Dirk Lange

  2. Clinical Research, The Stone Center at Vancouver General Hospital, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

    Ben Chew

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Seiler, R., Black, P.C. (2016). BCG for the Treatment of Non-muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer. In: Lange, D., Chew, B. (eds) The Role of Bacteria in Urology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-17732-8_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-17732-8_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-17731-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-17732-8

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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