Prognostic value of urokinase-type plasminogen activator in patients with superficial bladder cancer.
OBJECTIVE
A number of studies have demonstrated that urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) is one of the major enzymes in the development of cancer invasion and metastasis. We examined the possibility that u-PA content is an independent prognostic marker for superficial bladder cancer.


METHODS
The u-PA content was estimated in superficial bladder cancer from 52 patients undergoing transurethral resection for the first time. The survival rates of the patients were calculated and the prognostic values for u-PA content (less than 8 ng/mg protein versus more than 8 ng/mg), Stage (pTa or pT1), grade (1 and 2 versus 3), number (single versus multiple), and size (less than 1 cm versus more than 1 cm) of tumor were determined by a multivariate regression model.


RESULTS
Development of cancer invasion and metastasis was observed in 3 and 8 patients, respectively. The survival rate of the patients with high u-PA content was significantly lower than those with low u-PA content (P < 0.005). In the multivariate regression analysis, u-PA content was the most important risk factor for the prognosis, compared with the other factors: tumor stage, grade, multiplicity, and size.


CONCLUSIONS
We have first shown that u-PA content is a new independent prognostic marker in patients with superficial bladder cancer.
Hasui
Y
Y
Department of Urology, Miyazaki Medical College, Japan.
Marutsuka
K
K
Asada
Y
Y
Osada
Y
Y
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010960:Plasminogen Activators / Q000032:analysis*; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000032:analysis*
D010960:Plasminogen Activators; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator