Considerations on the use of diagnostic markers in management of patients with bladder cancer

Rapid and quantitative detection of urinary Cyfra21-1 using fluorescent nanosphere-based immunochromatographic test strip for diagnosis and prognostic monitoring of bladder cancer

Bladder cancer is a common malignant tumour with high recurrence rate. Cytokeratin 19 fragments (Cyfra21-1) in urine has been regarded as a promising biomarker for the prognosis and diagnosis of bladder cancer due to the relevance of its high urinary level to the bladder cancer patients. However, currently detection methods of Cyfra21-1 have their limits, such as complicated steps, limited sensitivity or unsatisfying specificity. In this study, we developed a novel time-resolved fluoroimmuno test strip by using europium chelate microparticle (Eu-CM). Detection was performed in simple steps by carrying drops of sample into the well of the test strip, waiting for 15 min and inserting the strip into a fluorescence strip reader for quantitation. The standard curve equation of the test strip was y = 0.0177x + 0.01 (R² = .9993). In the analysis of human urine samples (n = 115), it demonstrated a good performance (accuracy: CV < 10%, AUC: 0.989). With the cut-off value of 81 ng/mL, the sensitivity and specificity for bladder cancer were 92.86 and 100%, respectively. In comparison to ELISA and electrochemiluminescence methods, the Eu-CM based time-resolved fluoroimmuno test strip provided a rapid, sensitive and reliable method for monitoring bladder cancer. It may be applied as a non-invasive approach for in point-of-care for bladder cancer detection.

The promise of novel molecular markers in bladder cancer

Bladder cancer is the fourth most common malignancy in the US and is associated with the highest cost per patient. A high likelihood of recurrence, mandating stringent surveillance protocols, has made the development of urinary markers a focus of intense pursuit with the hope of decreasing the burden this disease places on patients and the healthcare system. To date, routine use of markers is not recommended for screening or diagnosis. Interests include the development of a single urinary marker that can be used in place of or as an adjunct to current screening and surveillance techniques, as well identifying a molecular signature for an individual’s disease that can help predict progression, prognosis, and potential therapeutic response. Markers have shown potential value in improving diagnostic accuracy when used as an adjunct to current modalities, risk-stratification of patients that could aid the clinician in determining aggressiveness of surveillance, and allowing for a decrease in invasive surveillance procedures. This review discusses the current understanding of emerging biomarkers, including miRNAs, gene signatures and detection of circulating tumor cells in the blood, and their potential clinical value in bladder cancer diagnosis, as prognostic indicators, and surveillance tools, as well as limitations to their incorporation into medical practice.

Appraisal of diagnostic ability of UCA1 as a biomarker of carcinoma of the urinary bladder

Initial diagnosis of carcinoma of the urinary bladder remains to be a challenge. Urine cytology, as an adjunct to cystoscopy, is less sensitive for low-grade tumors. Urothelial cancer associated 1 (UCA1) is a novel non-coding RNA gene, which plays a pivotal role in bladder cancer progression. Our aim is to investigate the significance of urinary UCA1 for the non-invasive diagnosis of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the urinary bladder. We examined UCA1 expression in a bladder cancer cell line (T24) and in urine of 28 healthy individuals, 46 patients of non-malignant disorders, and 117 cases (69 primary and 48 recurrent cases) of histologically proven TCC prior to transurethral resection by using real-time PCR and compared it with voided urinary cytology. UCA1 expression was found in T24 cell line and also found to be significantly higher in the cancer group as compared to the controls (p<0.001). UCA1 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression showed a significant (p<0.05) association with stage and grade (p<0.05). UCA1 showed a sensitivity of 79.49% and a specificity of 79.73% (p<0.001), whereas urine cytology had a sensitivity of 66.67% and a specificity of 95.95% for TCC cases. Higher expression of UCA1 was associated with high grade (G2-G3, sensitivity=84.09%) (p<0.001). UCA1 mRNA expression did not significantly correlate with the patient's age, sex, and smoking habit (p>0.05). UCA1 can be used as a non-invasive diagnostic biomarker for TCC bladder as an adjunct to cytology in the early diagnosis of primary urinary bladder cancer.

Salvage combination intravesical immunotherapy with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin and interferon-α2B: impact on recurrence, progression, and survival

BACKGROUND

The population of patients with bladder cancer who have recurrence following an initial instillation of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is critical to study, as treatment delay with repeated courses of intravesical therapy may yield poor prognosis in patients with disease progression.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate our institution's experience with use of BCG alone and in combination with interferon (INF)-α2B in regard to the rates of bladder cancer recurrence, disease progression, need for eventual cystectomy, and survival in patients with initial BCG failure.

STUDY DESIGN

We identified a combined series of 139 patients who had undergone intravesical instillations of BCG alone (n = 114) or in combination with INF-α2B (n = 25) performed at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, between 2002 and 2007. All patients previously received an initial 6-week course of BCG therapy and subsequently had BCG failure on follow-up cystoscopy. Study outcome measures included: time to cancer recurrence in patients, progression of disease, eventual cystectomy, and patient mortality.

RESULTS

At a median follow-up of 64.7 months from initial BCG administration, 84% of patients treated with BCG + INF-α2B had disease recurrence. The average time to recurrence was < 1 year, and 63% of patients had recurrence on the first post-treatment biopsy. Among patients with a positive first biopsy, 52% had disease progression on initial surveillance. Overall, disease progression was seen in 48% of patients receiving BCG + INF-α2B therapy, and 28% of all patients eventually underwent radical cystectomy. All outcomes occurred more frequently in patients undergoing combination intravesical therapy compared with patients given BCG monotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with bladder cancer undergoing salvage intravesical BCG + INF-α2B at our institution had a > 50% chance of disease recurrence and progression, and > 25% of patients eventually proceeded to radical cystectomy. Randomized trials are needed to clarify the issues present in our findings and to determine the appropriate role for concomitant INF therapy in patients when BCG monotherapy has failed.

Evaluation of urinary XIAP as a diagnostic biomarker of carcinoma of urinary bladder

Early diagnosis of carcinoma of the bladder remains a challenge. Urine cytology, as an adjunct to cystoscopy, is less sensitive for low-grade tumors. X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP), a negative regulator of apoptotic stimuli and a member of apoptosis family, is frequently activated in bladder carcinoma. Our aim is to investigate the significance of urinary XIAP for the noninvasive diagnosis of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the urinary bladder. We examined urinary XIAP expression in a bladder cancer cell line (T24) and in urine of 28 healthy individuals, 46 patients of nonmalignant disorders, and 117 cases (69 primary and 48 recurrent cases) of histologically proven TCC prior to transurethral resection, by using real-time PCR, and compared it with voided urinary cytology (VUC). XIAP expression was found in T24 cell line and also was found to be significantly higher in the cancer group as compared to the controls (p < 0.001). XIAP messenger RNA (mRNA) expression showed a significant (p < 0.05) association with stage and grade (p < 0.05). XIAP shows the sensitivity of 82.91 % and specificity of 78.38 % (p < 0.001), whereas urine cytology had sensitivity of 66.67 % and specificity of 95.95 % for TCC cases. The combination of XIAP and VUC had better sensitivity (98.2 %) and specificity (92.6 %) than they showed individually (p < 0.001). XIAP mRNA expression did not significantly correlated with the patient's age, sex, and smoking (p > 0.05). Urinary XIAP can be used as a noninvasive diagnostic biomarker for bladder TCC in adjunct to cytology mainly for low-grade non-muscle-invasive tumors.

Clinical utility of urinary soluble Fas in screening for bladder cancer

AIM

Early diagnosis of carcinoma of urinary bladder remains a challenge. Urine cytology, as an adjunct to cystoscopy, is less sensitive for low-grade tumors. Soluble Fas (sFas), a cell-surface receptor and member of the tumor necrosis factor superfamily, is frequently expressed in urinary bladder carcinoma. The objective of this study was to investigate the urinary sFas for diagnosis of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of urinary bladder.

METHODS

We examined urinary sFas concentration in 74 controls and 117 cases of TCC, both primary and recurrent disease, by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and compared it with urinary cytology.

RESULT

Urinary sFas concentration was found to be significantly higher in the patient as compared to control group (P < 0.05). An optimal cutoff value of 174.0 pg/mL was proposed. The urinary sFas level was found to have an approximate sensitivity and specificity of 88.03% and 89.19% (P < 0.001), whereas urine cytology had sensitivity of 66.67% and specificity of 95.95%. sFas had better sensitivity in higher grade and both primary and recurrent cases of urinary bladder cancer in comparison with cytology. Out of 15 node positive bladder cancer cases, 13 had high urinary sFas levels, whereas 12 were urinary cytology positive for malignancy.

CONCLUSION

Urinary sFas can be used as a non-invasive diagnostic biomarker for TCC of urinary bladder, both for primary and recurrent disease.

Comparison of the sensitivity and specificity of urine cytology, urinary nuclear matrix protein-22 and multitarget fluorescence in situ hybridization assay in the detection of bladder cancer

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to compare the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of urine cytology, BladderChek® nuclear matrix protein-22 (NMP22) and UroVysion™ fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) tests in patients with newly diagnosed bladder cancer, those with recurrent bladder cancer, and those with bladder cancer but in remission during surveillance.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Voided urine samples obtained from 178 patients with suspected or known bladder cancer about to undergo diagnostic or surveillance cystoscopy and 25 control subjects without the disease were divided into four and used for urine culture and cytology, NMP22 BladderChek and UroVysion FISH tests. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV for each test were calculated. Comparison was made between the ability of each test to detect bladder cancer in the three category of patients listed.

RESULTS

Of the 178 patients with bladder cancer, 43 were newly diagnosed, 58 had recurrent disease and 77 were in remission. The sensitivity of each test in newly diagnosed patients was: urine cytology 28%, NMP22 88% and FISH 80%; and in patients with recurrent disease: urine cytology 33%, NMP22 57% and FISH 85%. The mean specificity for urine cytology, NMP22 and FISH was 95%, 67% and 48%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Of the tests used in the study for detection of bladder cancer, NMP22 appeared to be most cost-effective and rapid, with relatively high sensitivity and specificity in all categories of patients. The NMP22 test may be considered a new gold standard for the assessment of patients with known or suspected bladder cancer.

National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory Medicine Practice Guidelines for use of tumor markers in liver, bladder, cervical, and gastric cancers

BACKGROUND

Updated National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory Medicine Practice Guidelines for the use of tumor markers in the clinic have been developed.

METHODS

Published reports relevant to use of tumor markers for 4 cancer sites--liver, bladder, cervical, and gastric--were critically reviewed.

RESULTS

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) may be used in conjunction with abdominal ultrasound for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis associated with hepatitis B or C virus infection. AFP concentrations >200 microg/L in cirrhotic patients with typical hypervascular lesions >2 cm in size are consistent with HCC. After a diagnosis of HCC, posttreatment monitoring with AFP is recommended as an adjunct to imaging, especially in the absence of measurable disease. Although several urine markers have been proposed for bladder cancer, none at present can replace routine cystoscopy and cytology in the management of patients with this malignancy. Some may, however, be used as complementary adjuncts to direct more effective use of clinical procedures. Although carcinoembryonic antigen and CA 19-9 have been proposed for use gastric cancer and squamous cell carcinoma antigen for use in cervical cancer, none of these markers can currently be recommended for routine clinical use.

CONCLUSIONS

Implementation of these recommendations should encourage optimal use of tumor markers for patients with liver, bladder, cervical, or gastric cancers.

Implantable diagnostic device for cancer monitoring

Biopsies provide required information to diagnose cancer but, because of their invasiveness, they are difficult to use for managing cancer therapy. The ability to repeatedly sample the local environment for tumor biomarker, chemotherapeutic agent, and tumor metabolite concentrations could improve early detection of metastasis and personalized therapy. Here we describe an implantable diagnostic device that senses the local in vivo environment. This device, which could be left behind during biopsy, uses a semi-permeable membrane to contain nanoparticle magnetic relaxation switches. A cell line secreting a model cancer biomarker produced ectopic tumors in mice. The transverse relaxation time (T(2)) of devices in tumor-bearing mice was 20+/-10% lower than devices in control mice after 1 day by magnetic resonance imaging (p<0.01). Short term applications for this device are numerous, including verification of successful tumor resection. This may represent the first continuous monitoring device for soluble cancer biomarkers in vivo.

Screening for bladder cancer: theoretical and practical issues in considering the treated and untreated natural history of the various forms of the disease

Screening is used to detect disease earlier in its course, allow earlier treatment, and presumably decrease morbidities and potential mortality associated with the later expression of more advanced disease and presumably more complex treatments consequently required. Judicious screening in bladder cancer depends on an understanding of how the different forms of bladder cancer express their biological potential, whether the tools available for screening have sufficient sensitivity and specificity to have accurate predictive value in accurately diagnosing and assessing each cancer diathesis earlier in its course, and how this may influence the morbidities and mortality associated with each. The principles of screening, potential biases that can affect their accuracy and the interpretation of outcomes, tools currently available for screening, their efficacies and pitfalls, and lessons learned from studies of the role of screening in prostate cancer will be reviewed to offer an understanding of the potential role that screening may play in the different forms of bladder cancer in the context of their preclinical and treated natural history.