title: Quantitative analysis of keratin 18 in the urine of patients with bladder cancer.
abstract: The level of urinary keratin was compared in patients with and without bladder cancer using the newly developed IRMAK-18. Patients with bladder cancer had higher levels of keratin (74.6 +/- 146.9) than normals (2.5 +/- 4.7). When the upper limit of normal was set at keratin less than 20 ng./ml., the test was highly specific (98%) for bladder cancer but had a sensitivity of only 46%. Adjusting to keratin less than 10 ng./ml. increased the sensitivity to 57% but decreased the specificity to 91%. Elevated keratins were associated with stage and grade, aneuploidy and disease history. The IRMAK-18 assay for keratin may be useful for monitoring the clinical progress of some patients.
authors: Dept. of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616.
authors: W C
authors: WC
authors: Baker
authors: R
authors: R
authors: deVere White
authors: P V
authors: PV
authors: Rossitto
authors: B H
authors: BH
authors: Min
authors: R D
authors: RD
authors: Cardiff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000652:urine*; D004247:DNA / Q000652:urine; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007633:Keratins / Q000652:urine*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011874:Radiometry; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D007633:Keratins; D004247:DNA