Complications of BCG treatment in patients bearing solid tumors. 1977

B Serrou, and J Domas

We treated one hundred patients who had various high risk solid tumors (malignant melanomas, osteosarcomas and lung cancers) by immunostimulation alone or with a sequential and synchronized chemotherapy as a complement treatment. Institut Pasteur BCG (150 mg) was administered either by scarifications (10 X 10 of 5 cm each) or multiple puncture technique (Gun), or in the case of 12 patients, by intra-tumor injections. The following complications were observed: chills and high fever during 1 to 30 days after scarifications or gun technique. In some cases an allergic loco-regional cutaneous reaction was noted after the gun technique. Nevertheless these complications were well tolerated. However, severe reactions were observed after the intra-tumor injections: malaise, chills, sweating, hyperthermia, nausea, vomiting and changes in blood pressure. In 1 case a prolonged high fever (3 weeks) was offset only by the use of corticosteroids. In another case the patient developed hepatitis. A percutaneous liver biopsy revealed noncaseating granulomas and the presence of acid fast organisms in the liver (by means of staining by auramine and observation by fluorescence). In this patient BCG has been replaced by Corynebacterium parvum (2 X 2 mg a week). This type of adjuvant was used in 2 patients and produced the same complications as the BCG. We believe that caution must be exercised in the use of such intra-tumoral treatments. BCG must be given in the hospital and patients must receive antihistaminic preparation before and after immunostimulation.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008107 Liver Diseases Pathological processes of the LIVER. Liver Dysfunction,Disease, Liver,Diseases, Liver,Dysfunction, Liver,Dysfunctions, Liver,Liver Disease,Liver Dysfunctions
D009369 Neoplasms New abnormal growth of tissue. Malignant neoplasms show a greater degree of anaplasia and have the properties of invasion and metastasis, compared to benign neoplasms. Benign Neoplasm,Cancer,Malignant Neoplasm,Tumor,Tumors,Benign Neoplasms,Malignancy,Malignant Neoplasms,Neoplasia,Neoplasm,Neoplasms, Benign,Cancers,Malignancies,Neoplasias,Neoplasm, Benign,Neoplasm, Malignant,Neoplasms, Malignant
D005260 Female Females
D005334 Fever An abnormal elevation of body temperature, usually as a result of a pathologic process. Pyrexia,Fevers,Pyrexias
D006099 Granuloma A relatively small nodular inflammatory lesion containing grouped mononuclear phagocytes, caused by infectious and noninfectious agents. Granulomas
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001500 BCG Vaccine An active immunizing agent and a viable avirulent attenuated strain of MYCOBACTERIUM BOVIS, which confers immunity to mycobacterial infections. It is used also in immunotherapy of neoplasms due to its stimulation of antibodies and non-specific immunity. Bacillus Calmette Guerin Vaccine,Calmette Guerin Bacillus Vaccine,Calmette's Vaccine,Calmette Vaccine,Calmettes Vaccine,Vaccine, BCG,Vaccine, Calmette's

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