PURPOSE: We review how the bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccine evolved to become 
standard therapy for superficial bladder cancer.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the historical literature describing the 
origin of the bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccine as an anticancer agent and its 
singular success as the most effective immunotherapy used against a human 
neoplasm.
RESULTS: The association between tuberculosis and cancer, and the demonstration 
that bacillus Calmette-Guerin invoked immunological reactivity, inhibiting tumor 
growth in experimental animal models, led to clinical trials showing that 
intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin eradicated and prevented recurrence of 
superficial bladder tumors.
CONCLUSIONS: For the last 3 decades bacillus Calmette-Guerin therapy has 
remained the most effective local therapy for superficial bladder cancer, an 
outstanding example of successful translational medicine in urology.