Transurethral Bladder Biopsy After Post Intravesical BCG Therapy for Superficial Bladder Cancer Patients

Abstract

This study evaluated the role of routine biopsy from the site of previously resected superficial bladder tumor three months following resection and intravesical BCG therapy in the presence of negative urine cytology and cystoscopy. Thirty-two patients (21males and 11 females) with high-risk superficial transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder were followed prospectively. All patients received a single six weeks course of intravesical Bacillus Chalmette-Guerin (BCG). Three months following resection, urine cytology was done. Cystoscopy was then performed and a routine biopsy from the previous resection site was taken. All patients included in the study had negative urine cytology and cystoscopy at the time of biopsy. Four (12.5%) patients were having TCC although they had negative urine cytology and cystoscopy at the time of biopsy. The histological recurrence was corresponded to T1G1 in two patients and T1G2 in the other two patients and the pathology after BCG treatment for the four patients was the same as before instillation. There were no statistically significant differences between patients with positive and negative biopsies with regard to the stage and grade of the tumor before resection, or the number of resected lesions.