title: Pre and postoperative quantitative detection of fragments of cytokeratins 8 and 18 (UBC IRMA) as markers of early recurrence of superficial bladder tumor.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Urinary Bladder Cancer (UBC) test is a marker that detects urinary fragments of cytokeratin 8 and 18. The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of the pre and post operative UBC test to detect early recurrences of a bladder tumor in the first year after the transurethral resection of a bladder tumor.
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicentric perspective study on 36 patients with superficial bladder cancer (pTa-pT1) treated with transurethral resection (TUR) was performed. Each patient underwent 4 specific urine collections: 1) preoperatively, 2) 3 days after TUR, 3) 7 days after TUR, 4) 30 days after TUR. UBC was analysed on urine with the IRMA method and the cut off value of 12 mg/L was used. Cystoscopy was performed after 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after TUR, with the aim of identifying all cancer recurrences in the first year postoperatively. Statistical analyses to identify differences between patients with or without early recurrence were performed in accordance with Fisher's exact test and Chi-square analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 36 patients included in the study 15 showed early recurrence and 21 were recurrence free 1 year after surgery. UBC levels measured in recurrence free patients 30 days after TUR showed normal values, values decreasing as compared with preoperative levels or both circumstances, even if a statistically significant difference was not found between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this study we reported an insignificant correlation between the postoperative modifications of UBC levels and the risk of tumor recurrence during the first year of follow-up. A larger study group with longer follow-ups will probably allow better evaluation of the real power of UBC tests in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Clinica Urologica, Università di Firenze. maurogacci@yahoo.it
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gacci
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Serni
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lapini
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giubilei
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dal Canto
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Paladini
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Curotto
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carmignani
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carini
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000652:urine*; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000601:surgery* / Q000652:urine*; D006801:Humans; D007633:Keratins / Q000652:urine*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000652:urine*; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery* / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D007633:Keratins