BCG with Interferon

Hi George,

I hope your second treatment goes better. I had a different reaction when I started my treatment on Friday. The BCG + interferon felt more tolerable than the BCG alone. I was able to easily hold it for the full two hours and then the voiding of the medication 6 hours post instillation was not an issue, where it seemed to be more difficult with BCG alone. It wasn't until Saturday afternoon that I had problems. I then started passing blood clots for the remainder of the evening. That lasted until the early AM on Sunday. That left me a bit woozy on Sunday (I'm thinking from the loss of blood and late hours), but feeling much better today.

The comment on the water came from a statement in the O'Donnell protocol that Jack posted. You can find it on page 13, point 5.

Hope your treatment goes well today!

Vince

Hi Vince,

Thanks for writing.
I had my first treatment last Monday with the BCG and interferon. Had bladder spasms all day, but subsided as the day went on. However, I find that I am completely exhausted, where with the BCG alone, I didn't feel this way. Have my second treatment tomorrow. Will see.

I don't understand what you mean when you say that maybe you had too much water after treatment? I may have missed the article on that. Would you please inform me?

Thanks for your well wishes, and right back at you.
George

Jack,

Thanks for posting the link to the PDF. It is very informative. In April, I was diagnosed with Carcinoma In-situ, and did a 6 week cycle of BCG. At my check-up, 6 weeks after my last BCG instillation, my urologist told me the tumor, which covered my entire bladder, had been greatly reduced. However, he did see ~5-6 small spots of inflammation which he biopsied and CIS was still present. Today I started a 6 week cycle of BCG + interferon. The information you provided is similar to some things I have already read, and very encouraging. What is really nice are the recommendations for post treatment. Far better than what I've received from my urologist. I've been drinking quite a bit of fluid after treatments, but now understand that I might be overdoing it.

I am 46, with no prior history of cancer. Non-smoker, did not work around chemicals. Keeping my fingers crossed that this delivers the results that I need.

I wish you and George the best on your paths to recovery.

Vince

That is a great link you provided.

I haven't had a second opinion because I have complete faith in my urologist. Two of my coworkers have the same cancers, we worked at Sylvania and was exposed to every chemical known it seems. They each have different doctors, and we compare notes.

The choices seem to be the norm. Control with Turbts, BCG, or removal of the bladder. That will come with a whole slew of problems. I am a very young 77 in otherwise good health, so I am hoping that I can continue on this path. It gives me hope to know that the Interferon has helped you, I live in Ma, and we have some great facilities here, so lucky.

So, you are on a wait and see then?

Best to you too.

George

George,

I wish you a good outcome on the upcoming treatment and evaluation.

I made an assumption that you have "superficial" bladder cancer, the most common type, of which papillary and CIS are the common variants. BCG is used for both.

Other cancers of the bladder exist, of which I have no knowledge - since my 2 year journey has been with both types of "superficial" cancer. Perhaps you have one of the other types ?

I am including another link, to a National Cancer Institute site, where a great deal of background info about bladder cancer is presented - the focus is on the "superficial" type, and includes discussions of treatments and differences in types. Papillary and CIS are covered as well.

www.cancer.gov/types/bladder

I have had multiple TURBTs - surgery to remove surface tumors from my bladder - all under general anesthesia. I have had both high and low grade, and both tend to reoccur. High grade has the nasty habit of progressing and escaping the bladder, but for me, so far, it has remained on the bladder surface - it goes away, then it comes back. Adding interferon "appears" to have kept it away, but time will tell if it remains gone.

None of my doctors have used the term "GONE". they say "controlled". I hope it remains controlled forever. I hope the same for you. (What does the second opinion doctor have to say for you ?)

Best
Jack

Hi Jack,

Thanks for answering this for me and for the link that you provided. I don't know exactly what you mean by CIS or Papillary. All I know is that it is high grade Urothelial Carcinoma. It was between the bladder lining and the muscle. It didn't penetrate the muscle, thank God. I had 6 wks. of BCG, followed by 6 wks. off, and then another six wks. Then the cystoscopy that showed another tumor. Ergo, the second surgery. I start the new treatment on 9/11 for 6 wks., followed by another cystoscopy. Doc. is going to do it in the o.r. instead of the office, in case there is another tumor and he can remove it right there. Not thrilled about going under general anesthesia again, but it is what it is.

Did you have surgery, or just the treatment? So, after the last treatment, is your tumor gone? My type almost always recurs, the high grade. Low grade don't usually come back.

Keep it touch,
George