Intravesical Bleomycin in Bladder Cancer

To the Editor.— The place of chemotherapy in the treatment of tumors of the bladder has yet to be fully evaluated. Etoglucid (Epodyl, Britain) and thiotepa have previously been used as intracavitary agents for the control of superficial bladder lesions with a 40% to 60% success rate.1-3 Sadoughi et al (226:465, 1973) described the successful use of bleomycin in this way in one patient. We report our results in a further five patients, all of whom had superficial bladder tumors too extensive to remove in one operation. Results of a histologic examination in each patient showed transitional cell carcinoma, and urine cytologic tests were done in each patient before and after treatment. An evaluation of symptoms and cystoscopic appearances following treatment was made, with regular white blood cell counts and a chest roentgenogram. Fluid draining from the bladder after instillation of bleomycin was assayed to determine the amount of