Urinary fluorescence in situ hybridization assay for detecting urothelial carcinoma in Taiwanese patients.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the cytogenetic marker detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH; UroVysion, Vysis, Inc., Abbott Laboratories, Des Plaines, IL, USA) in the diagnosis of bladder cancer and upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UC) in Taiwanese patients, as FISH has been used in Western countries for detecting UC, but there are limited results in Asian populations.


METHODS
We analysed polyploidy of chromosome 3, 7, 17 and aneuploidy of chromosome 21, using uroepithelial cells collected at the first void or by instrumental extraction of urine, for bladder cancer, and shedding cells from the upper tract flushed by normal saline via ureteric catheterization or ureterorenoscopy. The criteria for positive tumour cells included three or more positive staining in two or more chromosomes showing polyploidy or <50% staining of the chromosome 9p21.


RESULTS
In all, 32 patients with bladder UC and 12 with upper tract UC were assessed. The overall sensitivity for bladder cancer by UroVysion was 96.8%. The sensitivity of the cytology test was 36% for UC of the bladder. The sensitivity for UroVysion in upper tract UC was 12/12 but the specificity was three of nine.


CONCLUSIONS
This preliminary report shows that UroVysion was a sensitive screening method for UC of the bladder and upper urinary tract.
Chuang
Kun-Lung
KL
Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Chuang
Hun-Chang
HC
Ng
Kwai-Fong
KF
Chang
Ying-Hsun
YH
Wu
Chun-Te
CT
Chuang
Cheng-Keng
CK
Liao
Shuen-Kuei
SK
Pang
See-Tong
ST
D000782:Aneuploidy; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence / Q000379:methods*; D011123:Polyploidy; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013624:Taiwan; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D019459:Urothelium
D005819:Genetic Markers