Arthritis associated with adjuvant mycobacterial treatment for carcinoma of the bladder

Abstract

A patient who developed an inflammatory polyarthritis following intravesical administration of bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) used in the treatment of bladder cancer is described. An inflammatory synovitis comprising predominantly T lymphocytes was demonstrated on synovial biopsy. The synovitis resolved spontaneously within 14 days in this 'human model' of adjuvant arthritis.