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. Side effects of immunotherapy for bladder cancer. Bacillus calmette guerin or bcg is the most common intravesical immunotherapy for treating early stage bladder cancer. Bcg is a germ that s related to the one that causes tuberculosis tb but it doesn t usually cause serious disease.

It is common for people to experience flu like symptoms such as chills fever and fatigue for 2 3 days following the treatment. Burning in the bladder can also happen with bcg immunotherapy the main type of intravesical immunotherapy for bladder cancer. It is given as an intravesical therapy inserted through a catheter to reach the interior of the bladder. The body s natural response to bcg is thought to help the immune system better respond to cancer cells.

Bcg treatment for early non invasive bladder cancer canadian cancer society. All drugs may cause side effects. Immunotherapy drugs encourage the body s immune system to fight cancer cells. It s made from a weakened strain of mycobacterium bovis a vaccine for tuberculosis.

Bcg immunotherapy can cause a number of side effects. But it is also a main treatment for non muscle invasive bladder cancer. For bladder cancer bcg is given directly into the bladder intravesical. Some people may know bcg as a vaccine used to prevent tuberculosis tb.

Chemotherapy can cause burning and irritation in the bladder. Bcg is a type of immunotherapy drug. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Side effects not requiring immediate medical attention.

This tends to limit side effects in the entire body. The imaging features of these complications are for the most part nonspecific and may be indistinguishable from those of cancer or nonmycobacterial infection. Some side effects of bcg may occur that usually do not need medical attention. However many people have no side effects or only have minor side effects.

Also your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Bacillus calmette guerin bcg is the main intravesical immunotherapy for early stage bladder cancer. It s used to help keep the cancer from growing and to help keep it from coming back.