Photo Credit: Elena Merkulova

The following is a summary of “Comparison of hyperthermic intravesical chemotherapy using pirarubicin and Bacillus Calmette-Guérin in the treatment of patients with high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder carcinoma: a retrospective study,” published in the April 2025 issue of BMC Urology by Huang et al. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to compare hyperthermic intravesical chemotherapy (HIVEC) using pirarubicin (THP) and Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).  

They reviewed medical records and an outcomes database in this retrospective study. They included 48 patients treated with HIVEC using THP and 43 with BCG after transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURBT) between January 2017 and December 2020. Recurrence-free survival (RFS), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and adverse events (AEs) were evaluated. 

The results showed both groups had matched baseline features and a median follow-up of 61.0 ± 14.5 months. RFS at 1–5 years was 90.76%, 76.54%, 58.07%, 51.14%, 45.05% BCG vs. 98.04%, 79.53%, 62.46%, 55.93%, 50.03% (HIVEC), P = 0.58. PFS at 1–5 years was 97.77%, 85.85%, 81.01%, 74.26%, 67.36% (BCG) vs. 100.00%, 89.57%, 83.05%, 76.68%, 73.68% (HIVEC), P = 0.53. OS at 1–5 years was 100.00%, 100.00%, 90.64%, 88.47%, 83.43% (BCG) vs. 100.00%, 100.00%, 97.81%, 96.08%, 90.40% (HIVEC), P = 0.45. AEs were similar in both groups. 

Investigators found that HIVEC with THP had a satisfactory safety profile and similar effectiveness to BCG. They suggested it as a viable supplementary treatment for high-risk NMIBC patients during BCG shortages. 

Source: bmcurol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12894-025-01773-z