How effective is BCG treatment for bladder cancer?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 60-year-old male. I noticed blood in my urine a couple of months ago. It turns out to be bladder cancer. Had surgery to remove the tumor, but the doctor says there is a high chance it will come back.

Now they talk about BCG treatment inside the bladder, and it sounds painful and risky. How effective is it really? Do people usually need more than one round? What happens if it spreads beyond the bladder? What is the next step?

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I can understand your concern.

I hope you are doing well and in good health. I wish you a speedy recovery. I fully understand and appreciate the amount of fear and anxiety you are experiencing after being diagnosed with bladder cancer. Naturally, this leads to many worries and overwhelming thoughts. However, the first thing I want to reassure you about is that there are now many different treatment approaches available, and they are highly effective in controlling the tumor.

We generally do not prefer surgery, as it carries a high risk of recurrence and significantly affects quality of life. Bladder reconstruction often does not provide optimal control and can negatively impact daily living, making it unsatisfactory for many patients. Instead, we prefer a bladder-preserving strategy, which is not painful and involves treatment once a week for six weeks. After that, life usually returns to normal, and we continue regular follow-up.

This approach is far better than surgery, which often does not give satisfactory results for the patient. I want to completely reassure you that this treatment is not painful at all. I hope my explanation is clear and helps you make the right decision. I apologize for the delayed response, and please do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions.

Treatment plan: Bladder-preserving strategies.
Regarding follow-up: seven days.

I hope this information will help you.

Kindly follow up if you have any further concerns.

Thank you.