Evaluation of urinary proepithelin as a potential biomarker for bladder cancer detection and prognosis in Egyptian patients.
OBJECTIVE
Proepithelin is a growth factor that may play a critical role in bladder cancer. Its over-expression in urine of bladder cancer patients gave us the impetus to evaluate its potential suitability as a biomarker for bladder cancer diagnosis and/or prognosis.


METHODS
proepithelin was estimated in 86 voided urine samples, including 59 bladder cancer patients and 27 healthy volunteers using quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique. Urinary proepithelin level was expressed in ng/100 mg creatinine.


RESULTS
Urinary proepithelin was significantly higher in bladder cancer patients compared to control subjects (means: 17.5 ± 10 and 8.9 ± 3.5 ng/100 mg creatinine, respectively; p < 0.001), and the test sensitivity and specificity to detect the presence of bladder cancer were 74.6 and 85.2%, respectively. Furthermore, patients with low-grade/non-muscle invasive stages bladder cancer showed significantly lower urinary proepithelin compared to high-grade/non-muscle invasive stages and high-grade/invasive stages ones (means: 11.6 ± 9, 20.2 ± 8.1 and 23.8 ± 11.9 ng/100 mg creatinine, respectively; p= 0.005 and 0.002, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
This preliminary study suggests that urinary proepithelin may be considered as a non-invasive, sensitive, and specific urine-based test for bladder cancer diagnosis and/or prognosis.
Department of Medical Biochemistry, Ismailia, Egypt.
Mohamed A
MA
Selmy
Gehan H
GH
Ibrahim
Taher I
TI
El Serafi
Ammar A
AA
Ghobeish
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000652:urine*; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000652:urine; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods*; D004534:Egypt; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D000077153:Progranulins; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016482:Urinalysis; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000652:urine
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C492314:GRN protein, human; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D000077153:Progranulins