Side Effects Of Bcg Immunotherapy

Call your doctor or get medical help if any of these side effects or any other side effects bother you or do not go away.
Side effects of bcg immunotherapy. Although minor side effects of intravesical bcg immunotherapy are common and do not necessarily require treatment severe complications are rare and require timely diagnosis and treatment. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Bacillus calmette guerin or bcg is the most common intravesical immunotherapy for treating early stage bladder cancer. Side effects of immunotherapy for bladder cancer.
Bcg is a germ that s related to the one that causes tuberculosis tb but it doesn t usually cause serious disease. Some side effects of bcg may occur that usually do not need medical attention. It s made from a weakened strain of mycobacterium bovis a vaccine for tuberculosis. Also your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.
What are some other side effects of bcg. Burning in the bladder can also happen with bcg immunotherapy the main type of intravesical immunotherapy for bladder cancer. But it is also a main treatment for non muscle invasive bladder cancer. However side effects can still occur locally in the bladder.
Bcg immunotherapy can cause a number of side effects. Immunotherapy drugs encourage the body s immune system to fight cancer cells. Bcg treatment for early non invasive bladder cancer canadian cancer society. Bcg is a type of immunotherapy drug.
The imaging features of these complications are for the most part nonspecific and may be indistinguishable from those of cancer or nonmycobacterial infection. For bladder cancer bcg is given directly into the bladder intravesical. Bacillus calmette guerin bcg is the main intravesical immunotherapy for early stage bladder cancer. It is given as an intravesical therapy inserted through a catheter to reach the interior of the bladder.
Some people may know bcg as a vaccine used to prevent tuberculosis tb. All drugs may cause side effects. Bacillus calmette guerin bcg is an immunotherapy derived from bacteria used to treat some kinds of bladder cancer. It is common for people to experience flu like symptoms such as chills fever and fatigue for 2 3 days following the treatment.
It s used to help keep the cancer from growing and to help keep it from coming back. The body s natural response to bcg is thought to help the immune system better respond to cancer cells. However many people have no side effects or only have minor side effects.