Transforming growth factors-beta 1 and beta 2 in serum and urine from patients with bladder carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Transforming growth factors-beta (TGF-beta) are cellular regulators and potent angiogenic factors. We determined serum and urinary levels of TGF-beta 1 and beta 2 in patients with bladder carcinoma to study a correlation with tumor stage, grade and metastatic spread.


METHODS
Using commercial immunoassays TGF-beta 1 and beta 2 were determined in serum and urine samples from 57 bladder cancer patients and 18 healthy controls.


RESULTS
Serum TGF-beta 1 levels were significantly elevated in 21 patients with invasive bladder cancer (61.5 ng./ml.) compared to 18 healthy controls (36.3 ng./ml.), whereas serum TGF-beta 1 levels in 36 patients with superficial bladder tumors were within the normal range (33.4 ng./ml.). Serum TGF-beta 1 was increased in 27 patients with grade 3 tumors (55.7 ng./ml.), compared to 16 with grade 1 and 14 with grade 2 tumors (32.6 and 33.3 ng./ml., respectively). By contrast, serum TGF-beta 2 levels were not different from those of controls. No significant increase in serum TGF-beta 1 and beta 2 could be found in patients with lymph node metastases. In urine specimens there was no significant correlation of TGF-beta 1 and beta 2 with tumor stage.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that elevated serum TGF-beta 1 may be relevant for diagnosis of bladder cancer and further studies are warranted.
Eder
I E
IE
Department of Urology, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
Stenzl
A
A
Hobisch
A
A
Cronauer
M V
MV
Bartsch
G
G
Klocker
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta