The impact of transurethral resection of bladder tumour on serum levels of soluble E-cadherin.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate soluble E-cadherin (sE-cadherin) as a potential tumour marker in patients with transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder (previously shown to correlate with tumour grade, number of Ta/T1 tumours at presentation and a positive 3-month check cystoscopy) by assessing its serum concentration in relation to transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT).


METHODS
Samples of venous blood were obtained from 25 patients with bladder cancer: (i) before cystoscopy/TURBT: (ii) intraoperatively, during tumour resection; and (iii) on the first day after surgery. Levels of sE-cadherin were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
Sixty-three serum samples from patients with TCC of the bladder were available for analysis (23 before, 21 during and 19 after surgery). Patients with G2/3 tumours had significantly higher median preoperative levels of sE-cadherin (16.37 and 13.03 microg/mL, respectively) than those with G1 tumours (9.493 microg/mL; P = 0.0164). There was no correlation between tumour stage and preoperative sE-cadherin concentration. The median concentrations of sE-cadherin were not significantly different before, during and after TURBT.


CONCLUSIONS
This study confirmed the previous finding that higher levels of serum sE-cadherin correlate with increasing tumour grade but not with clinicopathological stage. Serum sE-cadherin levels are not significantly altered by TURBT in the immediate perioperative period.
Durkan
G C
GC
Department of Surgery, The Medical School, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Brotherick
I
I
Mellon
J K
JK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000097:blood*; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011300:Preoperative Care; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins