title: Evaluation of a bladder tumor antigen test as a screening test for transitional cell carcinoma of the lower urinary tract in dogs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the veterinary version of the bladder tumor antigen (V-BTA) test as a screening test for transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the lower urinary tract of dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  229 client-owned dogs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Urine samples from dogs were shipped overnight to a single laboratory to facilitate testing within 48 hours of collection by use of the V-BTA rapid latex agglutination urine dipstick test. Groups of dogs included the following: 1) dogs with TCC of the lower urinary tract, 2) healthy control dogs, 3) unhealthy control dogs with non-TCC urinary tract disease, and 4) unhealthy control dogs without urinary tract disease. Test sensitivity and specificity were calculated by use of standard methods. Logistic models were developed to assess the effect of disease status, test conditions, urine composition, and signalment on the performance of the V-BTA test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 229 urine samples were analyzed, including 48 from dogs with suspected (n = 3) or confirmed (45) TCC. Test sensitivities were 88, 87, and 85% for all dogs with (suspected and confirmed) TCC, dogs with confirmed TCC at any site, and dogs with confirmed TCC of the urinary bladder, respectively. Test specificities were 84, 41, and 86% for healthy control dogs, unhealthy control dogs with non-TCC urinary tract disease, and unhealthy control dogs without urinary tract disease, respectively. The test performed slightly better on centrifuged urine samples than on uncentrifuged urine samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that the V-BTA test is useful in screening for urinary tract TCC in dogs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
authors.forename: Carolyn J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.forename: Jeff W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Tyler
authors.forename: Margaret C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: McEntee
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stokol
authors.forename: Kenita S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: Ruthanne
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.forename: Laura D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Garrett
authors.forename: Dudley L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: McCaw
authors.forename: Mary Lynn
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Higginbotham
authors.forename: Karen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Flessland
authors.forename: Pam Koffend
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Stokes
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000652:urine*; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000652:urine / Q000662:veterinary*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000652:urine; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000662:veterinary*; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology / Q000652:urine / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm