Researchers at the University of Birmingham believe that a simple urine test could help to guide clinicians in the treatment of bladder cancer patients.
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From Medical Express
Urine test could help to guide treatment of bladder cancer
the Oncology Nurse Advisor take:
According to new research published in the British Journal of Cancer, researchers at the University of Birmingham in Birmingham, United Kingdom, have identified two prognostic urinary biomarkers, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and epithelial cell adhesion molecule (epCAM), that could help to guide clinicians in the treatment of patients with bladder cancer.In the study, researchers found that both urinary EGFR and EpCAM were found to be independent predictors of bladder cancer-specific survival when validated in over 400 clinical samples. In addition, both have prognostic value over any standard clinical and pathological observations. Results showed that higher levels of the biomarkers were associated with more aggressive cases of cancer and poor survival outcomes.
The researchers note that a non-invasive prognostic test could make treatment of the disease much more efficient, allow for a refinement of surveillance strategies according to risk, and reduce visits to a clinician. The authors point out that these biomarkers cannot be utilized to diagnose bladder cancer.
The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be about 74,000 new cases of bladder cancer diagnosed in the United States in 2015 and about 16,000 deaths from the disease.
