Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40698222›Full record

ArticleCureus2025

Comparison of Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and Mitomycin C for the Treatment of Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer.

Kamran A Shah, Syed Rafiuddin Shah, Waqas Ahmed Khan, Sara Nisar, Syeda Farwa Zaidi, Muhammad Asif, Farah Gul, Farid Ullah

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Kamran A ShahGeneral Surgery, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, GBR.
Syed Rafiuddin ShahUrology, Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation, Karachi, PAK.
Waqas Ahmed KhanOncology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, PAK.
Sara NisarInternal Medicine, Women Medical and Dental College, Abbottabad, PAK.
Syeda Farwa ZaidiInternal Medicine, Rehman Medical Institute, Peshawar, PAK.
Muhammad AsifUrology, DHQ Teaching Hospital, Mardan, PAK.
Farah GulPharmacology, Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Peshawar, PAK.
Farid UllahMedicine, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, PAK.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and mitomycin C (MMC) are the two most commonly used intravesical therapies for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), yet variability in treatment outcomes and tolerability continues to challenge clinical decision-making. Updated comparisons reflecting current treatment protocols and adherence patterns are needed to inform practice. Objective The objective of this study is to evaluate and compare the efficacy and safety of intravesical BCG versus MMC in the contemporary treatment of NMIBC, focusing on recurrence, progression, and adverse effects over a 24-month follow-up. Methods This comparative study was conducted at the Khyber Teaching Hospital over a two-year period from January 2023 to December 2024. A total of 286 patients were enrolled, with 143 patients in each treatment group. Patients who had a complete transurethral resection of bladder tumor, were confirmed to have NMIBC, were at least 18 years old, and were eligible for intravesical therapy with either BCG or MMC were included in the study. Patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, BCG or MMC contraindications, active UTIs, severe immunosuppression, or serious comorbid diseases that might affect therapy results were excluded. Results The BCG group had much lower rates of cancer returning after 12 months (19 out of 143 patients, 13.29%, vs. 32 out of 143 patients, 22.38%; p = 0.037) and 24 months (34 out of 143 patients, 23.78%, vs. 49 out of 143 patients, 34.27%; p = 0.043), a longer average time before cancer returned (14.20 ± 4.80 months vs. 10.90 ± 5.30 months; p = 0.026), and less disease progression after 24 months (15 out of 143 patients, 10.49%, vs. 29 out of 143 patients, 20.28%; p = 0.021). Adverse effects were more frequent in the BCG group (n = 67, 46.85% vs. n = 58, 40.55%; p = 0.312), with fever (n = 19, 13.28% vs. n = 6, 4.19%; p = 0.012) and flu-like symptoms (n = 24, 16.78% vs. n = 8, 5.59%; p = 0.004) occurring more commonly. Conclusions BCG demonstrated superior efficacy over MMC in reducing recurrence and progression rates in patients with NMIBC, with a higher frequency of systemic adverse effects.

Indexed as

bacillus calmette-guérindisease progressionintravesical therapymitomycin cnmibcrecurrence

Identifiers

PMID40698222
PMCPMC12282301

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.