Factors affecting response to bacillus Calmette-Guérin plus interferon for urothelial carcinoma in situ

J Urol. 2011 Sep;186(3):817-23. doi: 10.1016/j.juro.2011.04.073. Epub 2011 Jul 23.

Abstract

Purpose: The unpredictable behavior of carcinoma in situ and its high potential for recurrence and progression make identifying patient characteristics predicting a poor prognosis a priority. We assessed which factors affect the response to bacillus Calmette-Guérin plus interferon-α therapy in patients with urothelial carcinoma in situ.

Materials and methods: We analyzed data on a subset of 231 patients with carcinoma in situ enrolled in a multicenter, phase II trial of bacillus Calmette-Guérin plus interferon-α therapy for nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer. Analysis included patients who were bacillus Calmette-Guérin naïve and those with previous exposure to failed bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy. We evaluated factors potentially affecting the bacillus Calmette-Guérin plus interferon-α response, including patient age, gender, tumor stage, multifocality, prior tumor stage, the previous bacillus Calmette-Guérin failure pattern, courses and maintenance, and prior chemotherapy.

Results: The complete response rate at 3 and 6 months in naïve vs previously failed bacillus Calmette-Guérin cases was 76% and 70% vs 76% and 66%, respectively. The 24-month disease-free rate was decreased in the 53 patients with a history of 2 or more failed bacillus Calmette-Guérin courses vs that in the 71 with a history of 1 failed course and bacillus Calmette-Guérin naïve patients (23% vs 57% and 60%, respectively). The 22 patients with refractory carcinoma in situ had the worst outcome of a 23% disease-free rate at 24 months while the 59 with relapse within 1 year had an intermediate outcome of 42% vs 59% in the 33 with relapse after 1 year. Patients with a history of papillary disease did better than those without such a history (p=0.019).

Conclusions: Factors associated with a poor response to bacillus Calmette-Guérin plus interferon-α therapy in patients with carcinoma in situ are prior tumor stage, 2 or more prior bacillus Calmette-Guérin failures and a bacillus Calmette-Guérin failure pattern.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase II
  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic / therapeutic use*
  • Aged
  • BCG Vaccine / therapeutic use*
  • Carcinoma in Situ / drug therapy*
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Factors / therapeutic use*
  • Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Risk Factors
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Urothelium

Substances

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • BCG Vaccine
  • Immunologic Factors
  • Interferon-alpha