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BCG with Interferon
Hi,
I have had two turbt’s in the past 6 months. Had two rounds of BCG and it didn’t work. Doc. wants me to do the BCG again, but with Interferon. Has anybody had this, and are there a lot of side effects, and did it work? I am new to this forum, so don’t know if this had been asked before.
Thank you,
George -
37 Replies
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Hi Vince,
I am going to start my maintenance pretty soon. Hope you feel better soon and it would be great to have no more treatments for half a year! We will be there!
Share with us some good news in August!
Cltyxx
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Very happy for you! This is great news.
I completed my first round of maintenance treatments, 3x at the end of May. I thought I handled them well, but my bladder is just now starting to get back to feeling somewhat normal. If things stay clear, I won’t have another treatment until November / December. Next Cysto is in August.
Best of luck to you!
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That is GOOD NEWS!!
Diagnosis 2-08 Small papillary TCC; CIS
BCG; BCG maintenance
Vice-President, American Bladder Cancer Society
Forum Moderator
Just want to provide an update.
I went for my Cysto this morning after finishing my 1st 6 round BCG+ Interferon in early March.
It is all clear for this time! I feel so relieved but I know there is a long way ahead…
Best wishes to everyone here!
Cltyxx
———————————–
Diagnosed on 03/23/2017
TURBT#1 04/06/2017, Pathology report not conclusive
TURBT#2 05/26/2017, HG T1, No cancer found
BCG 6 treatments finished on 08/11/2017
Cysto: 11/14/2017 Biopsy: 11/27/2017 Still There!
TURBT #3 01/05/2018, No Cancer found
BCG+ Interferon 6 treatments finished on 03/02/2018
Csyto: 06/26/2018, clear!
Vince,
Thanks! I am going to have my 5th round this Friday and hope things will go smooth.
Take care!
Cltyxx
I had the exact same side effects you are feeling. By the time treatment #6 rolled around, I was only able to last about 1:15 instead of the full 2 hours. Azo and Oxybutinin helped. Don’t be afraid to take Azo (Phenazopyridine), it can help the symptoms. I have even been taking it the last few days as I am still passing some blood from the biopsy. It brings relief and makes urinating a lot easier. When I was doing treatments I would take it after first voiding the BCG… My urologist told me you don’t want to take it prior to treatment as it coats the lining of the bladder, but afterward was fine.
Keep up the fight!
Vince
George and Alan,
Thanks! Things get better today after 2 days. Definitely, I want to preserve the bladder unless no other choices.
George, good luck on your cysto tomorrow!
Cltyxx
I had the same thing, Cityxx, they had me skip a week because I was so inflammed. The spasms are horrible, constant need to pee as you said, it does get better. I still have some spasms, and still urinate frequently, but not like while going through the treatments. I am having a cystcoscopy on Mon., and pending the results, will have to start another round of maintenance. I may have to have another surgery if the tumors have returned, and start all over again. I never had the fever and chills, but must be awful, along with the spasms, etc. Hope things settle down after you complete the series. It’s something that we have no choice over, except have the bladder out, and I certainly don’t want that.
Best to you,
George
Cltyxx, Pretty normal side effects. The good news is, it shall pass.
DX 5/6/2008 TAG3 papillary tumor .5 CM in size. 2 TURBS followed by 6 instillations of BCG weekly with a second round of 6 after a 6 week wait.
Hi Vince/George,
Just finished my 4th BCG+ Interferon. Quite significant side effects as in the last few weeks:
1) painful/burning/frequent/urgent to pee;
2) with little blood, small blood clot or tissues (cannot distinguish)
3) flu/fever symptoms.I think I had more of the side effects than just BCG alone. Do not know whether this is a good sign?
Stil 2 more rounds to go.Thanks,
Cltyxx
Awesome, Vince!!!!
Hi Vince,
Such a great news! I am so happy for you!
Cltyxx
Hi All,
Results from the pathology came back today:
Your bladder biopsy did not show any cancer present.FINAL PATHOLOGIC DIAGNOSIS:
Bladder, right anterior wall, biopsy:
-urothelial mucosa with chronic inflammationBladder, left wall biopsy:
-urothelial mucosa with focal ulceration and inflammationBladder, posterior wall, biopsy:
-urothelial mucosa with patchy inflammationI can only assume the residual inflammation is likely from the BCG treatments. My doctor is out until next week, so I will have some time before we discuss what happens nexts, but as you can imagine, I am very happy with this result. Your support, prayers, and crossed fingers are all greatly appreciated!
Hi Vince,
I finished 3rd round of BCG+Interferon (6 prescribed) last Friday. So far I tolerated it well. I did have blood and a few tissues from urine on the day and afterward. Generally, life comes back to normal in 2 days.
Hope things will work out for all of us!
Cltyxx
Hi Vince,
My wife types all my stuff for me, don’t type! Glad that you had good results., and praying the same for your new results. The uncertainty of waiting for the results are exhausting, at least for me. I have my next cystoscopy on 2/26. Praying for good results as well. After the last cysto., I completed 3 treatments of the BCG/Interferon, the beginning of January, and I am finally getting to feel better again, and now it starts all over, but it’s better than the alternative. My grand daughter did an interview with me on my journey for her nursing class. I am now all over Facebook!!! There are a couple of scenes that she took from my wife’s Youtube, with me clowning around with my catheter in, and I guess it was quite a hit.
Keep in touch and thanks for thinking of me.
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