title: Urinary concentrations of the soluble adhesion molecule E-cadherin and total protein in patients with bladder cancer.
abstract: Reduced expression of the adhesion molecule E-cadherin has been associated with increased invasiveness and poorer survival in patients with bladder cancer. We have examined soluble E-cadherin (sE-cadherin) and total protein concentrations in urine from patients with bladder cancer (n = 34), non-neoplastic benign urological diseases (n = 14) and healthy controls (n = 21) to determine their diagnostic and prognostic significance. Soluble E-cadherin concentrations of the cancer group were significantly higher (P < 0.001) than those of the controls but the benign group was not significantly different from either the cancer group or the controls. When sE-cadherin concentrations were adjusted for creatinine, similar but more statistically significant results were obtained and the benign group was significantly elevated compared with the controls (P < 0.01). No differences were apparent between the invasive (pT1-4) and non-invasive (pTa) cancers. Urinary total protein concentrations in the cancer group were significantly higher than the controls (P < 0.001) and the benign group (P < 0.05) although no difference was seen between the benign group and patients with non-invasive (pTa) cancer or between the benign group and controls. When expressed as the protein/creatinine index, results were similar but more statistically significant and a significant difference was seen between invasive and non-invasive cancers (P < 0.01). Only the protein/creatinine index correlated significantly with stage of the tumour (P < 0.01). It is concluded that urinary sE-cadherin measurements are of no greater value than urinary total protein.
authors.affiliation: Imperial Cancer Research Fund Cancer Medicine Research Unit, St James's University Hospital, Leeds, UK.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Protheroe
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Banks
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mzimba
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Southgate
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bosomworth
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Harnden
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Whelan
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Selby
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D015820:Cadherins / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015820:Cadherins