The BCG treatment for bladder cancer is mostly used after transurethral resection (TUR: removing cancerous tissue accessed through the urethra) in order to prevent the cancer doesn’t come back. The BCG bacteria needs to keep in your bladder for 2 hours at a time and the procedure needs to be done weekly for 6 to 8 weeks. The treatment (’intravesical therapy’) is easy but could be emotionally difficult since it involves your private parts.
Poring the BCG liquid in your bladder (called ‘instillation’) takes only a few minutes. It is administered through a thin tube. The BCG medicine has to stay in your bladder for two hours, which means you are not allowed to go to the toilet for 2 hours.
BCG stands for Bacillus Calmette Guerin. It’s a type of bacteria used in cancer treatments to stimulate the immune system as one of the new biological possible cures.
BCG treatment for bladder cancer
The BCG treatment for bladder cancer procedure exists out of 4 steps and takes a bit longer than 2 hours:
- You are covered with a sterile sheet.
- Your private area is cleaned with a sterile solution.
- A tube , also known as a catheter, will be inserted through your urethra into your bladder to:
- remove any urine
- insert he BCG
- The BCG medicine needs 2 hours inside your bladder to be effective. You will be lying down all the time but asked to change positions in order to make sure the BCG medicine will touch your bladder completely.
After the BCG treatment you simply sit down on a toilet and pass your urine. Afterwards, add two cups of chlorine bleach to the toilet, and wait 15 minutes with the lid closed before flushing. Wash your hands and private area thoroughly after going to the toilet. The next 6 hours drink lots of water to wash out your bladder.
An effective bladder cancer treatment with BCG will see the patient taking the BCG instillation every week for 6 to 8 weeks.