Patient's Query
Hello doctor,
My mom is 63 and was diagnosed with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer last year. She had a TURBT procedure and has been receiving BCG treatments. Recently, she started feeling a burning sensation while urinating again, but her urine culture came back normal. Her last blood test showed a hemoglobin level of 9.6 and a white blood cell count of 11,300.
Could this burning be due to bladder irritation from BCG, or might it be a sign of cancer coming back? How can we tell the difference between post-treatment side effects and a possible recurrence? Please help.
Thank you.
Hi,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
I truly understand your concern about your mother’s symptoms. She received BCG (Bacillus Calmette–Guérin) treatment, which is a type of immunotherapy used for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (a type of bladder cancer that stays in the inner lining of the bladder and has not spread into the bladder muscle). BCG is placed directly into the bladder and works by stimulating the body’s immune system to attack any remaining cancer cells.
As part of this immune response, BCG can cause bladder wall inflammation, also called cystitis. This is a common side effect and may lead to symptoms such as burning during urination, frequent urges to urinate, and discomfort. These side effects usually start within a few hours to a few days after BCG is given and tend to go away on their own in a few days.
However, if your mother’s symptoms started weeks or months after her treatment—or if they are getting worse—it could be a sign of cancer recurrence (the cancer coming back). Her recent blood tests show low hemoglobin (9.6 g/dL) and high white blood cell count (11,300 cells/μL), which might indicate inflammation or other issues.
To know for sure, doctors often recommend a cystoscopy, a procedure where a small camera is used to look inside the bladder. This helps confirm whether it’s just irritation or something more serious.
I hope this helps.
Kindly revert so I can assist you further.
Thank you.
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Answered byDr. Sally Attalah
Medically reviewed byiCliniq medical review team
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