BCG chemotherapy is used to cure bladder cancer. BCG, derived from Bacillus Calmette-Guerin, is also called TherCys and TICE. According to ChemoCare.com, BCG is used to treat bladder cancer and is also used to treat tuberculosis. It is directly put into the bladder with a help of a catheter for outpatients.

BCG chemotherapy works with the help of the immune system. The cells of the immune system go to the bladder and attack the bladder cancer cells after it interacts with the BCG.

The schedule for the treatment varies from patient to patient and also depends upon the stage of cancer but usually the treatment is given every week, which last for six weeks before the rest period. The rest period is generally for six months to one year.

Common BCG side effects:

• BCG can cause pain when urinating. It can also lead to frequent urination or a feeling of urgency to urinate. There might be traces of blood in the urine.
• BCG in some cases shows flu like symptoms that include fever, chills and body aches
• About 10 to 29 percent of patients experience bladder infection during BCG
• Like all the other chemotherapy symptoms, patients experience fatigue during chemotherapy but it is so severe that they are unable to perform even the day to day basic functions of living.
• Patients might experience breathing problems and might also feel dizzy, which needs to be bought to the doctor’s attention.

The less common side effects include, fever, malaise, confusion, feeling light headed apart from irritation or infection in the bladder. As per research, approximately 30% of bladder cancer patients experience these side effects.

Patients who have a high fever that is around 103?F or higher for more than 24 hours or 101?F for more than 48 hours needs to be taken to the hospital to make sure that the cause is detected. Other symptoms such as intense fatigue and blood in the urine should also be bought to the medical supervisor’s attention.

Precautions to be taken during BCG:

• Before you begin with the treatment, patients should make the doctors aware of any other medications they have been taking if any. This includes herbal medicines, vitamins or over the counter drugs.
• Patients who are tuberculin positive, BCG is not advisable
• Health care professional should be informed if patients are pregnant or might be pregnant before starting the treatment.
• Men who are taking the treatment can transfer BCG to their partners during sex. Sex should be avoided for 48 hours after the treatment in order to protect your partner to come in contact with BCG. A condom should be preferably used during the course of the treatment.
• It is not advisable for both men and women to not conceive during the treatment. Patients should discuss with the doctors about the safe time of pregnancy after the therapy.
• Breast feeding needs to be stopped during the treatment.

Patients are often under observation during the treatment. Doctors have to perform certain blood test and other test as required, throughout the treatment, to monitor the side effects and also find the body’s response toward the drugs that is been used.