The BCG treatment for bladder cancer only takes 2 hours at a time done weekly for 6 to 8 weeks. The treatment (’intravesical therapy’) is easy but could be emotionally difficult since it involves your private parts.

Poring the BCG liquid in your bladder (called ‘instillation’) takes only a few minutes. The BCG medicine has to stay in your bladder for two hours, which means you are not allowed to go to the toilet for 2 hours.

BCG stands for Bacillus Calmette Guerin. It’s a type of bacteria used in cancer treatment to stimulate the immune system as one of the new biological cancer treatments.

BCG treatment for bladder cancer

The BCG treatment for bladder cancer procedure exists out of 4 steps and takes a bit longer than 2 hours:

• You are covered with a sterile sheet.
   
• Your private area is cleaned with a sterile solution.
   
• A tube called a ‘catheter will be inserted through your urethra into your bladder to:
   
• remove any urine
   
• insert he BCG
   
• The BCG medicine needs 2 hours inside your bladder to be effective. You will be lying down all the time but asked to change positions in order to make sure the BCG medicine will touch your bladder completely.

After the BCG treatment you simply sit down on a toilet and pass your urine. Afterwards, add two cups of chlorine bleach to the toilet,
and wait 15 minutes with the lid closed before flushing.

 

Wash your hands and private area thoroughly after going to the toilet.

 

The next 6 hours drink lots of water to wash out your bladder.

An effective bladder cancer treatment with BCG will see the patient taking the BCG instillation every week for 6 to 8 weeks.

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