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Effect of Levofloxacin on the Efficacy and Adverse Events in Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Treatment for Bladder Cancer: Results of a Randomized, Prospective, Multicenter Study

K. Numakura, Mizuki Kobayashi, Toshiya Ishida, K. Okane, Kazumasa Suzuki, N. Shimoda, Takehiro Suzuki, T. Kumazawa et al.

European Urology Focus, 2022

106 participants · 19 citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Although bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is a standard treatment for high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), a high rate of adverse events with a variety of grades remains a difficulty.

OBJECTIVE

In this randomized, prospective, multicenter study, we examined whether levofloxacin, given after each intravesical instillation of BCG, could improve its tolerance in patients with intermediate- to high-risk urothelial carcinoma of the bladder without compromising its efficacy.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Overall, 106 Japanese patients (85 men and 21 women; age: median, 69.5 yr) with primary or recurrent NMIBC were randomized after transurethral resection to induce treatment with intravesical BCG plus levofloxacin (group 1) or BCG alone (group 2).

INTERVENTION

Patients who underwent intravesical instillation of BCG were randomized with or without levofloxacin administration.

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Adverse events were assessed using the National Cancer Institute-Common Toxicity Criteria version 3.0. Cumulative incidence functions and Kaplan-Meier methods were applied to estimate survival outcomes.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

There was no significant difference in baseline characteristics between the groups. The completion rate of group 1 (85.5%) was not significantly lower than that of group 2 (76.5%; p = 0.321). There was no significant difference in the completion rate of patients with pollakisuria, painful micturition, gross…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 106 participants or records.

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