Study Population
A total of 41 patients with newly diagnosed bladder cancer who underwent
initial TURBT and 30 age-matched controls were enrolled in the study.
Inclusion criteria were newly diagnosed intermediate or high risk NMIBC
who received an second TURBT and 6 doses of BCG. Exclusion criteria were
low risk NMIBC, T2 and BCG toxicity. 3 patients with low-risk NMIBC and
3 patients with MIBC (T2) after initial TURBT were excluded from the
study. 35 patients underwent second TURBT at 4-6 weeks after initial
TURBT. 3 patients with MIBC after second TURBT were excluded from the
study. 32 patients were received intravesical BCG therapy once a week
for 6 weeks. 2 patients were excluded from the study because of BCG
toxicity. The patients’ enrolment algorithm has been illustrated in
Figure 1. The study group comprised 30 patients with intermediate- or
high-risk NMIBC and 30 age-matched controls. IL-1, IL-6, IL-8 and
neopterin levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
(ELISA) in the blood samples of all the patients before initial TURBT
(preoperative group), at 2 weeks after second TURBT (postoperative first
control group) and at 2 weeks after the end of induction intravesical
BCG immunotherapy (postoperative second control group). These cytokines
were also measured by ELISA in the blood samples of controls. Informed
consent was obtained from all the patients and controls who participated
in the study and the Local Ethics Committee approved the study protocol.