[Efficacy and safety of maintenance intravesical instillation therapy with bacillus Calmette-Guerin and epirubicin for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer].

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of maintenance intravesical instillation therapy with bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and epirubicin for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. From April 1999 to March 2010, 27 eligible patients were enrolled in this study. After receiving one cycle of epirubicin (100 mg/100 ml) by intravesical instillation, all patients received 6 weekly alternate intravesical instillation of BCG (80 mg/50 ml) and epirubicin (50 mg/50 ml), followed by 10 monthly instillations. Among the 27 patients, 19 were men and 8 were women, with a median age of 62.4 years (range, 37-78 years). Tumor pathologic stage was pTa in 25 patients, pT1 in 2 and there were no concomitant carcinoma in situ cases. Median follow-up was 37.1 months (range, 11-82 months). The 3- year recurrence-free and progression-free survival rates were 75.3% and 96.1%, respectively. Furthermore, a high completion rate of 81.5% was achieved in this study. Adverse events of grade 3 or higher occurred in 3 patients (11.1%), 1 patient had anaphylaxis. There were no treatment-related deaths. Maintenance intravesical instillation therapy with BCG and epirubicin is a favorable therapeutic option for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. Given the safety and benefit profile found in this study, appropriate patient selection is warranted in the future.