When the Treatment is the Cause: Disseminated Bacille Calmette–Guérin Infection

Authors

• Ana Teresa Marques Afonso Internal Medicine Department, University Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain
• Montserrat Rodríguez Framil Internal Medicine Department, University Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain
• Joaquín Sánchez Leira Internal Medicine Department, University Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain
• Néstor Vázquez Agra Internal Medicine Department, University Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain
• Federico García-Rodeja Arias Cardiology Department, University Hospital of Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain

anatafonso07@gmail.com

Keywords

Abstract

Bacille Calmette–Guérin (BCG) administration for superficial bladder cancer is a well-tolerated and very effective therapy. However, unpredictable systemic complications may occur on rare occasions. We present the case of a patient who attended for consultation because of fever, asthenia and weight loss following BCG immunotherapy. The clinical response to treatment and computed tomography scanning were key to diagnosis.