Simple Urine Test Diagnoses Bladder Cancer Early

A highly-specialized urine test can detect bladder cancer as much as three to six months earlier than an invasive cystoscopy procedure and can help physicians diagnose the disease at an initial stage, when treatment might be more effective.

The simple test requires a urine sample and involves the mapping of genetic material in human cells, including specific genes, in the laboratory and fluorescent dyes used in the test can detect genetic abnormalities linked to cancer.

Clinical scientists at Skyline Urology (Torrance, CA, USA) are urging individuals at risk for bladder cancer to undergo the urinary fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) test. The primary indicator or symptom of bladder cancer is blood in the urine, which is often detected first on a routine urine analysis test and may not be seen by the naked eye.

Caucasians are about twice as likely to develop bladder cancer as African Americans, and the risk of bladder cancer increases with age. About 9 out of 10 people with bladder cancer are over the age of 55. Bladder cancer is more common in men than in women, and chronic bladder irritation and urinary infections have been linked to bladder cancer.

Cystoscopy is commonly used to diagnose or rule out bladder cancer. In this procedure, the urologist will place a small fiber-optic cystoscope through the opening of the urethra and into the bladder so that the doctor may see the bladder lining. If an abnormal area or growth is seen, it will be biopsied. Cystoscopy can be performed in a doctor's office or in the operating room. A local anesthesia may be used to numb the urethra for the procedure. If a general or spinal anesthesia is used, the procedure is done in the operating room.

Alec S Koo, MD, FACS, a urologist at Skyline Urology, said, “The FISH test uses the latest molecular biology technology and is the first DNA testing used to detect cancer with only a sample of urine. The cost for such testing is higher than standard urine tests because of the sophisticated technology involved. However, when compared to other tests used to diagnose urinary cancer, such as computerized tomography (CT) scan or cystoscopy with anesthesia, the cost of FISH testing is comparable or lower, especially considering the possibility of lost work time following anesthesia.”

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