Intravesical Evans bacille Calmette‐Guérin for carcinoma in situ of the urinary bladder

OBJECTIVE: To study the long-term results of a single 8 week course of intravesical Evans bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) on carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the urinary bladder. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study reports on 43 patients who each received a single 8 week course of intravesical BCG. RESULTS: In spite of the good initial complete response rate of 70%, the long-term follow-up was disappointing with half the patients either having recurrence or progression of their disease by 2 years. The patients had a close follow-up protocol with early radical treatment when disease progressed. The cause specific survival at 5 years was 70%. CONCLUSION: We feel that similar future treatment protocols without maintenance treatment are not justified.