Donald L. Lamm, MD, FACS, presented “BCG Failure: Defining Failure and Managing Difficult Cases of Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer” during the 28th Annual Perspectives in Urology: Point Counterpoint on November 16, 2019 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
How to cite: Lamm, Donald L. “BCG Failure: Defining Failure and Managing Difficult Cases of Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer” November 16, 2019. Accessed Jul 2024. https://grandroundsinurology.com/bcg-failure-defining-failure-and-managing-difficult-cases-of-non-muscle-invasive-bladder-cancer/
BCG Failure: Defining Failure and Managing Difficult Cases of Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer – Summary:
Donald L. Lamm, MD, FACS, Director of BCG Oncology and Clinical Professor of Surgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, discusses the criteria required of studies looking for alternative drug therapies to Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) to treat non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Because there are many BCG refractory, recurrent, intolerant, and unresponsive patients, and because there is a global shortage of BCG, new drugs are much needed. To get funding, studies will require FDA approval, and Dr. Lamm suggests that researchers are more likely to receive approval quickly by using standard definitions and providing clear follow-up and end-points in their proposals.
About Perspectives in Urology: Point Counterpoint
Perspectives in Urology: Point Counterpoint (PCP) is an annual, multi-day, CME-accredited conference devoted to discussing and debating the latest topics in men’s health and general urology, as well as management of bladder, renal, and both localized and advanced prostate cancer. More than didactic lectures, the conference’s format includes debates, point-counterpoint discussion panels, and unique case-based presentations. Dr. Uzzo presented this lecture during the 28th PCP in 2019. Please visit this page in order to register for future PCP meetings or view our collection page for more educational lectures from this conference.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Lamm is a Clinical Professor of Surgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and Director of BCG Oncology, his solo private practice in Phoenix. After completing his undergraduate studies and medical school at the University of California, Los Angeles, he did his urology residency at the University of California, San Diego, with Ben Gittes. The second year of this residency was devoted to research, and it was here that Dr. Lamm’s interest in bladder cancer began. At the suggestion of Dr. Dave McCullough, he added bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) to his animal bladder cancer studies. This led to the first published randomized clinical trial of BCG in 1980, which occurred while Dr. Lamm was at the University of Texas Health, San Antonio. This trial was followed by SWOG comparisons of BCG and doxorubicin, BCG and MMC, and induction versus BCG 3 week maintenance. While Dr. Lamm and others continue looking for new treatments, BCG remains the gold standard in bladder cancer treatment.
