Medications may be used to control the growth of bladder cancer cells and to relieve symptoms. Chemotherapy uses medications to destroy cancer cells. Biological therapy boosts or restores your body's immune response to destroy cancer cells.

Medication Choices

Chemotherapy may be taken by mouth (orally), injected into a vein (intravenous, or IV), or put into the bladder through a urinary catheter (intravesically). Chemotherapy can kill cancer cells both inside and outside the bladder area.

Medications through a vein (IV)

• M-VAC is a combination of methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin. Methotrexate slows or stops the growth of cancer cells in the body and is frequently used in combination with other chemotherapy medications. Cisplatin is a heavy metal that causes cell death by interfering with the multiplication of cancer cells.
• Gemcitabine is an antitumor medication that interferes with how cells divide and stops the growth of the cancer cells. It is often combined with another drug called cisplatin for treating bladder cancer.
• Doxorubicin is an anthracycline antibiotic medication. Epirubicin and valrubicin are also anthracycline antibiotics that may be used.
• Paclitaxel or carboplatin are antitumor medications that slow or stop the growth of cancer cells in the body.

Medications through a catheter into the bladder

• Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) may stimulate an immune response or inflammation in the bladder wall to destroy cancer cells within the bladder. This is known as biological therapy.
• Mitomycin C is an antitumor antibiotic that interferes with the multiplication of cancer cells. When administered directly into the bladder, mitomycin may help prevent the recurrence of bladder cancer.

What To Think About

Medications, alone or in combination, may be delivered directly into the bladder using a catheter (intravesically).

Adjuvant chemotherapy may be used with transurethral resection (TUR) of the bladder. Chemotherapy is also used when cancer cannot be controlled with surgery.

Most chemotherapy causes some side effects. Home treatment may be all that is needed to manage your symptoms. But some people may need medicines to control nausea and vomiting. If your health professional has given you instructions or medications to treat your symptoms, be sure to follow them. In general, healthy habits such as eating a balanced diet and getting enough sleep and exercise can help control your symptoms.

Clinical trials of other medications, such as interferon or chemotherapy before surgery (neoadjuvant), are ongoing. Ask your doctor about participating in a clinical trial.