Effect of intralesional and systemic BCG-application or a combined cyclophosphamide/BCG treatment on experimental bladder cancer

Summary Infiltrating transitional cell carcinomas of the urinary bladder were induced by ingestion of 0.188% N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl] formamide (FANFT) in 145 female Wistar rats. After 8 months of carcinogen exposure, the animals were divided into different treatment groups. They received cyclophosphamide intraperitoneally as a single injection or BCG either once intralesionally or weekly subcutaneously or a combination of cyclophosphamide followed by subcutaneous BCG. The treatment effect was determined by body weight measurements and bladder tumour weight after 12 months. Compared with a control group statistically significant differences of bladder tumour weights were found after treatment with BCG alone or in combination with cyclophosphamide. Intralesional BCG resulted in an insignificant increase of tumour weights.