New Test Reveals Bladder Cancer with High Accuracy

SadaNews - A Spanish study has revealed a simple urine test that can effectively diagnose and determine the stage of bladder cancer with high accuracy.

Researchers at the Health Research Foundation of 'La Fe' Hospital in Valencia explained that this test provides a non-invasive alternative to traditional procedures such as cystoscopy, reduces healthcare costs, enhances patient comfort, and improves treatment outcomes. The results were published on Thursday in the "Journal of Molecular Diagnostics."

Bladder cancer is one of the most common and dangerous cancers in the urinary system, characterized by a high rate of recurrence after treatment. It usually arises in the bladder lining and manifests with symptoms such as blood in the urine, frequent urination, or pain during urination.

Its diagnosis currently relies on invasive tests such as cystoscopy or urine cytology, which are limited in sensitivity and can sometimes be painful.

Recent research indicates that the analysis of cell-free DNA in urine (cfDNA) may provide a non-invasive alternative for diagnosing the disease and determining its stage, enhancing patient comfort and reducing the need for expensive invasive procedures.

The new test is based on analyzing cell-free DNA in a urine sample, a non-invasive method that can diagnose bladder cancer and monitor its progression. The test focuses on measuring small to medium DNA fragments from five specific genes associated with bladder cancer, including (MYC, ACTB, and AR).

In the study, researchers analyzed urine samples from 156 bladder cancer patients and 79 healthy individuals from the control group, using Real-Time PCR technology to measure the concentration and integrity of cell-free DNA fragments in urine.

The results showed that the new test achieves an accuracy of up to 97 percent and a predictive value of up to 88 percent for identifying bladder cancer.

The researchers also found that the ratio of large to small fragments of the gene (ACTB) and the small fragment of the gene (AR) increased with the severity of the disease, indicating that they are reliable indicators for determining the stage of the disease. The integrity of these genes may help in detecting bladder cancer recurrence after treatment.

The team noted that the new test is capable of tracking disease progression and detecting relapse, allowing for early intervention and more effective treatment, while significantly reducing costs and improving the patient experience.

The researchers pointed out that this study is one of the first comprehensive evaluations of the fragmentation of cell-free DNA in urine across various stages of bladder cancer, bringing scientists closer to a future where the disease can be diagnosed and monitored more easily and with less discomfort.