title: BTA-TRAK--a useful diagnostic tool in urinary bladder cancer?
abstract: During recent years the BTA-TRAK-assay (Bard Diagnostics, Redmont, USA) has been described in several investigations to be of clinical utility for patients suffering from bladder cancer. In a prospective study we investigated over four months the voided urine samples of all consecutive patients undergoing cystoscopy independent of their clinical background (n = 244) with the BTA-TRAK-assay. With a specificity of 95% for benign urological diseases (cut off: 1300 U/mL) we found a sensitivity of 13% for active bladder tumours. Using healthy individuals as a reference group (cut off: 40 U/mL) we found a sensitivity of 56% (specificity 67%). Using the cut off value recommended by the manufacturer (14 U/mL) a specificity of 54% and a sensitivity of 62% was found. For patients without relapse (NED) versus patients with active bladder tumours we got a specificity of 55% and a sensitivity of 62%. Due to an insufficient specificity and sensitivity the BTA-TRAK-test is not able to replace cystoscopy nor to improve existing diagnostic strategies in bladder cancer.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Chemistry, Ludwing-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mahnert
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tauber
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kriegmair
authors.forename: U M
authors.initials: UM
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hasholzner
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Reiter
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schmeller
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stieber
mesh_terms: D003558:Cystoscopy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012372:ROC Curve; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012008:Recurrence; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000652:urine; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000652:urine; D014570:Urologic Diseases / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic