DETECTION OF BACILLUS CALMETTE-GUERIN IN THE BLOOD BY THE POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION METHOD OF TREATED BLADDER CANCER PATIENTS

AbstractPurpose: Following intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) instillation, we attempted to detect BCG in the blood using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method and correlate these findings with the occurrence of major complications due to this treatment.Materials and Methods: Intravesical BCG immunotherapy was given to 22 consecutive patients with superficial bladder tumors. In 2 patients the BCG instillation has to be discontinued due to serious side effects of therapy. Blood samples (252 aliquots) were obtained from 126 BCG courses in 22 cases, and 2 additional samples (4 aliquots) were obtained from 1 patient 1 and 3 months after cessation of therapy. All blood samples were analyzed by the PCR technique for detection of deoxyribonucleic acid tuberculosis Mycobacterium tuberculosis.Results: Of the 126 blood samples 9 (7.1%) were PCR positive for M. tuberculosis. These 9 positive samples belonged to 3 patients, all of whom were among those 4 patients who had major clinical side effects.Conc...