Detecting bladder cancer in the Chinese by microsatellite analysis: ethnic and etiologic considerations.
BACKGROUND
Microsatellite analysis of urine sediments has shown promise as a highly sensitive and specific technique for the detection of bladder cancer. However, most studies have been conducted in Western countries with Caucasian subjects. We explored the potential of microsatellite analysis for detecting bladder cancer in Chinese people.


METHODS
We performed microsatellite analysis of surgical specimens and urine sediment cells collected from Chinese patients with bladder tumors. Those microsatellite markers giving clearly readable patterns and showing susceptibility to alterations were used as a panel to detect primary tumors. A blinded study of additional patients with bladder cancer was performed to investigate the practical value of this panel for detecting bladder cancer. All statistical tests were two-sided.


RESULTS
Thirty-eight bladder tumors and corresponding urine sediment specimens were initially screened for 60 microsatellite markers from 18 chromosomes. Nine markers, most of which were different from those that had been used for Western patients, with frequent alterations in the initial patients were selected for further analysis. In the subsequent blinded experiment, microsatellite alterations were observed in urine sediments from 22 (96%) of 23 patients with bladder cancer and from all three patients with inverted papilloma. None of the urine sediments from the one patient with bladder lipoma, from the one patient with neurofibroma, or from the 12 individuals without evidence of bladder tumor showed any microsatellite alterations.


CONCLUSIONS
Microsatellite analysis of urine sediments could be a practical method for detecting bladder cancer in the Chinese. Our identification of different microsatellite markers highlights possible ethnic and etiologic disparities between the Chinese and Western bladder cancer patients.
Zhang
J
J
Department of Chemical Etiology and Carcinogenesis, Cancer Institute (Hospital), Chinese Academy of Medical Science and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
Fan
Z
Z
Gao
Y
Y
Xiao
Z
Z
Li
C
C
An
Q
Q
Cheng
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine*; D002681:China; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000652:urine; D044465:White People / Q000235:genetics
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm