Transurethral bladder biopsy after post intravesical bcg therapy for superficial bladder cancer patients

This study evaluated the role of routine biopsy from the site of previously resected superficialbladder tumor three months following resection and intravesical BCG therapy in the presenceof negative urine cytology and cystoscopy. Thirty-two patients (21males and 11 females)with high-risk superficial transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder were followed prospectively.All patients received a single six weeks course of intravesical Bacillus Chalmette-Guerin (BCG). Three months following resection, urine cytology was done. Cystoscopy wasthen performed and a routine biopsy from the previous resection site was taken. All patientsincluded in the study had negative urine cytology and cystoscopy at the time of biopsy. Four(12.5%) patients were having TCC although they had negative urine cytology and cystoscopyat the time of biopsy. The histological recurrence was corresponded to T1G1 in two patientsand T1G2 in the other two patients and the pathology after BCG treatment for the four patientswas the same as before instillation. There were no statistically significant differences betweenpatients with positive and negative biopsies with regard to the stage and grade of the tumor beforeresection, or the number of resected lesions.