[Treatment of superficial tumors of the bladder with bacillus Calmette-Guérin].

In a prospective study 21 patients with superficial bladder tumors were treated with BCG and examined as to compatibility and effectiveness. The BCG treatment was according to Morales with 6 intravesical applications in weekly intervals, 120 mg BCG each, and skin scarification with 5 mg on the thigh at the same time. A BCG viable vaccine of the Pasteur Paris strain (immune BCG PasteurFR) was used. 15/21 patients (71%) complained of dysuria and frequency, 10/21 (48%) reported fever. No patient stopped the treatment because of side effects, no tuberculostatic medication was needed. Within 3 months 12/16 patients (75%) with carcinoma in situ were endoscopically and cytologically free of tumors, no recurrencies were observed during the median follow-up time of 11 months. In only one of the 5 patients with papillary tumors did a complete remission occur. The 4 patients with treatment failure had multifocal papillary tumors. The intravesical application of BCG can be recommended for the treatment of carcinoma in situ. The results obtained with papillary tumors are not satisfactory, the transurethral resection remains the preferred treatment for this disease.