Intravesical BCG-induced granulomatous prostatitis mimicking prostate cancer in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer: a systematic review.

What was studied

This review looked at inflamed prostate tissue after BCG treatment for bladder cancer. This inflammation can be mistaken for prostate cancer. The team searched MEDLINE, Embase and Web of Science in June 2026. They included case reports, case series and a few comparative studies.

What they found

PSA rose above 4 ng/mL in 104 of 194 patients. It often fell on its own during follow-up. MRI findings looked suspicious in 71 of 82 cases. Biopsy confirmed prostate cancer in only 12 of 151 patients. Reports on cancer grade were incomplete and inconsistent.

What it means for patients

The authors say this inflammation often shows a short PSA rise and suspicious MRI findings. They say these rarely point to true cancer. They say structured observation with careful follow-up may come before an immediate biopsy.

Why it is not certain yet

Most studies were descriptive. Patients may have been picked in a biased way. The abstract says a reliable rate of significant cancer could not be given. Case reports and series cannot show how often this occurs overall.

Source

Intravesical BCG-induced granulomatous prostatitis mimicking prostate cancer in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer: a systematic review.

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