title: Protocadherin-17 promoter methylation in serum-derived DNA is associated with poor prognosis of bladder cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prognostic value of protocadherin 17 (PCDH17) promoter methylation in serum-derived DNA of patients with bladder cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  DNA was isolated from serum of patients with bladder cancer and from age- and sex-matched controls. Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction was used to examine the methylation status of the PCDH17 promoter. The correlations between methylation status and clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PCDH17 promoter methylation was detected in 79/151 (52.3%) of patients with bladder cancer, and none of the 43 control subjects. Methylation was significantly associated with larger tumour diameter (>3 cm), high grade (G3) and advanced stage (T2-T4). Patients with PCDH17 promoter methylation had significantly shorter overall survival than those with unmethylated PCDH17 promoter. Methylation was an independent predictor of overall survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PCDH17 promoter methylation was significantly associated with malignant behaviour and poor prognosis of bladder cancer. The detection of PCDH17 promoter methylation in serum-derived DNA may be a convenient and noninvasive predictive biomarker in routine clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, First Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, Heilongjiang Province, China.
authors.forename: Zhen-Guo
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Zhi-Gang
authors.initials: ZG
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shi-Liang
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Gui
authors.forename: Bao-Jin
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: Jian-Guo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins; D017931:DNA Primers; C529349:PCDH17 protein, human; D004247:DNA
keywords: Biomarker; bladder cancer; methylation; prognosis; protocadherin-17