A new test has been shown effective for detecting bladder cancer and
evaluating its grade. The hyaluronic acid-hyaluronidase test is noninvasive,
highly sensitive and specific, researchers report.
Urine specimens from
513 patients were examined -- 261 from transitional cell carcinoma (TCC)
patients, nine from patients with non-TCC tumours and 243 from controls.
Controls were normals, patients with other genitourinary (GU) conditions or a
history of bladder cancer.
Urinary hyaluronic (HA) levels were elevated
from 2.5 to 6.5-fold in bladder cancer patients as compared with normals, GU
patients and patients with a bladder cancer history. Urinary hyaluronidase
(HAase) levels were also higher in G2/G3 patients than in normals and patients
with GU conditions, history of bladder cancer or G1 tumours.
The HA-HAase
urine test detected bladder cancers, regardless of tumour grade and stage, with
higher sensitivity and accuracy and comparable specificity, the researchers
concluded.Warmly, lillian
