What Is Intravesical BCG Therapy Done With?

Intravesical BCG therapy is done with a prepared BCG solution placed into the bladder through a urinary catheter. BCG is a weakened form of bacteria used to stimulate a local immune response inside the bladder. It is not given as a tablet or injected into a vein.

During a session, a healthcare professional cleans the area and gently guides a thin catheter through the urethra into the bladder. The prepared BCG solution travels through the catheter. The catheter is then removed, unless your care team has a specific reason to leave it briefly.

The solution is kept in the bladder for the period your treatment team specifies, allowing contact with the bladder lining. You then empty your bladder according to the clinic's instructions. Treatment is usually organised as a course of scheduled sessions, but the timing and number depend on your diagnosis, previous treatment, and response.

Because BCG is a live but weakened bacterial preparation, the clinic gives handling and hygiene instructions for urine after treatment. Follow those instructions carefully and tell the team about fever, urinary symptoms, or a weakened immune system before a session.

Before each visit, tell your urology team about new urinary symptoms, blood in the urine, a recent urinary infection, difficulty passing urine, or medicines that affect the immune system. These details can affect whether treatment goes ahead that day.

Ask what to drink before and after the appointment, when to take regular medicines, and how to manage urination at home. Plan easy access to a bathroom and keep the clinic's written instructions available. Mild bladder irritation, urgency, or frequent urination can occur after treatment; report symptoms that are severe, worsening, or not settling as expected.

Contact your treatment team promptly for a fever or chills, feeling markedly unwell, severe weakness, persistent vomiting, or pain that is difficult to control after BCG. Seek urgent care for trouble breathing, confusion, fainting, or inability to pass urine.

Do not wait for the next scheduled session if concerning symptoms develop. Tell any clinician you see that you recently received intravesical BCG, because this information can guide the assessment and treatment.

You could ask: Why is BCG appropriate for my bladder cancer? How is the solution prepared and delivered? How long should I keep it in my bladder? Which symptoms should make me call the clinic? What hygiene steps should I follow after urinating?