BCG follow up

Posted by fmfran @fmfran, Oct 14 11:13am

I had my first six and my follow up three infusions. Yesterday the doctor decided to operate to fully examine my bladder. He did find one suspicious spot which was cauterized. He took two Biopsies to recheck under the scarring from previous surgeries. he also went into both Ureters to check for any activity. There was none. Following the results from the biopsies, we will decide to stick with BCG or move on to something else. All in all I am doing well 5 years in.

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charlessomervill | @charlessomervill | Oct 14 8:40pm

Is there a good alternative to BCG?

charlessomervill | @charlessomervill | Oct 14 8:41pm

Is there currently a shortage of BCG?

jlp27 | @jlp27 | Oct 15 12:20pm

In reply to @charlessomervill "Is there a good alternative to BCG?" + (show)

@charlessomervill
When it initially appeared that my oncologist could not obtain BCG in a timely fashion, she was going to start me on GEM/DOC chemotherapy as the next best alternative. I've also read where Adstiladrin gene therapy can follow BCG that hasn't worked. Those would be the 2 alternatives that I'm aware of.

charlessomervill | @charlessomervill | Oct 15 3:08pm

I’ve read that Gem/Doce is better tolerated with better results than BCG. The follow-up is longer too. But the administration of it is tedious. What does you doctor say?

fmfran | @fmfran | Oct 15 3:44pm

My follow up is in 2 weeks. We will discuss the next option. Thank you for the tip on Gem/Doce

fmfran | @fmfran | Oct 15 3:48pm

I’ve read about Adstilarin and the new clinical trial on cretostimogene. I’m hoping that the latter in on the market in 2025. It was fast tracked by the FDA.
Thank you!!!

fmfran | @fmfran | Oct 15 3:59pm

In reply to @charlessomervill "Is there currently a shortage of BCG?" + (show)

@charlessomervill
There are spot shortages from time to time.

rvint | @rvint | 1 day ago

In reply to @charlessomervill "Is there currently a shortage of BCG?" + (show)

@charlessomervill "Merck is building a new manufacturing facility in Durham, NC, to triple production of its TICE BCG product, with a targeted completion date of late 2026. " Also, (Feb 19, 2025)- "ImmunityBio is working to address the shortage and ongoing patient need of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) by developing a new form of BCG called recombinant mycobacterium BCG (or rBCG), and making it available in the United States both through clinical trials and an Expanded Access program for patients that do not qualify for clinical trials." "FDA Authorizes ImmunityBio to Provide Recombinant BCG (rBCG) to Urologists to Address TICE® BCG Shortage". ImmunityBOi also produces " ANKTIVA is the first FDA-approved immunotherapy for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer CIS that activates natural killer cells, T cells, and memory T cells for a long-duration response." This given with rBCG from what I have read.