Arthritis and iritis after BCG therapy for bladder cancer.

Abstract

A patient with preexisting inactive ankylosing spondylitis experienced a recurrence of back pain and his first episode of acute peripheral arthritis and iritis after a second course of treatment with BCG for bladder cancer. The occurrence of iritis after BCG therapy has not been reported. The recurrence of spondyloarthropathy and the new appearance of iritis may have been part of a generalized enhancement of immunological reactivity produced by the BCG.