Two Cases of Pulmonary Complications Following Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Immunotherapy in Patients with Superficial Bladder Cancer

Abstract

표재성 방광암의 치료는 경요도적 절제술 후 방광내 BCG 투여가 표준적인 치료로 알려져 있다. 방광내 BCG 투여 후 가장 흔한 부작용은 방광자극, 빈뇨감, 배뇨 곤란 등이며 항결핵제를 사용해야 할 정도의 전신적인 부작용은 5% 이하로 알려져 있다. 저자들은 표재성 방광암 환자에서 경요도적 절제술 후 방광내 BCG 주입치료 후 폐합병증이 발생한 2예를 경험하여 문헌고찰과 함께 보고하는 바이다. 【Intravesical instillation of the bacillus Calmentte-Gu $\acute{e}$ rin(BCG), an attenuated strain of Mycobacterium bovis, is an approved method for the treatment of superficial bladder cancer. Because BCG is a living organism, the potential for infection exists. BCG is generally well tolerated, with complications in less than 5% of those treated with use of current practices. The most frequent symptoms of toxicity associated with intravesical BCG immunotherapy include bladder irritation, frequency, and dysuria. Systemic reactions are less common but more serious than local side effects, and include fever, chills, malaise, rash, hepatitis, pneumonitis, arthritis and sepsis. In rare cases, BCG treatment can result in a systemic infection that requires antituberculous therapy. The pulmonary toxicity that results from intravesical BCG treatment is generally characterized by one of two types : systemic allergic reaction with pulmonary reticulonodular opacities depicted on chest radiographs with cellular findings consisting of activated lymphocytes, and actual BCG mycobacteremia with a miliary pattern depicted on chest radiographs and granuloma formation which rarely results in positive acid-fast stain or culture results. Recently we experienced two types of pulmonary complications following intravesical BCG immunotherapy in patients with superficial bladder cancer. We report two cases with a review of literatures.】