title: Haptoglobin levels in Turkish patients with bladder cancer and its association with clinicopathological features.
abstract: Although alteration in the haptoglobin phenotype has been reported in patients with bladder cancer, serum haptoglobin levels have not been evaluated. We hypothesized that serum haptoglobin can be used as a biomarker. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of haptoglobin in bladder cancer and to determine the relationship with clinicopathological features. A total of 68 serum specimens obtained before surgery were used to investigate haptoglobin expression using the sandwich ELISA technique. Serum haptoglobin levels were higher in the patients with bladder cancer compared to healthy controls (p<0.0001). Additionally, the levels of haptoglobin protein increased with increasing tumor grades (p<0.001) and were significantly higher in patients with metastatic disease and the presence of lymphovascular involvement, lymph node metastases and increasing tumor burden (p<0.0001). This study suggests that elevated haptoglobin levels are associated with a higher stage, grade, and extent of distant metastasis and larger tumor size. Haptoglobin may therefore provide a useful diagnostic and treatment biomarker for patients with bladder cancer.
authors: Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Turkey. necippirincci@hotmail.com
authors: Necip
authors: N
authors: Pirincci
authors: Ilhan
authors: I
authors: Gecit
authors: Mustafa
authors: M
authors: Gunes
authors: Ahu Sarbay
authors: AS
authors: Kemik
authors: Mehmet Bilgehan
authors: MB
authors: Yuksel
authors: Mehmet
authors: M
authors: Kaba
authors: Kadir
authors: K
authors: Ceylan
authors: Mehmet
authors: M
authors: Aslan
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D006242:Haptoglobins; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D047368:Tumor Burden; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006242:Haptoglobins