We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress
Sign In
Advertise with Us
LGC Clinical Diagnostics

Download Mobile App




Genomic Urine Test Predicts Bladder Cancer Recurrence Before Clinical Symptoms Emerge

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 23 Aug 2023
Print article
Image: The UroAmp test detects bladder cancer 12 years before clinical signs and symptoms appear (Photo courtesy of Convergent Genomics)
Image: The UroAmp test detects bladder cancer 12 years before clinical signs and symptoms appear (Photo courtesy of Convergent Genomics)

Bladder cancer, a highly prevalent disease, ranks among the UK's top ten most common cancers and the fifth most common across the European Union. Unfortunately, advanced bladder cancer has a bleak prognosis, as only approximately 50% of patients survive beyond five years after diagnosis. This is largely attributed to late diagnosis and recurring bouts of the disease. Nevertheless, the odds of survival escalate significantly when bladder cancer is identified in its early stages – over 80% of patients diagnosed early survive for at least five years. Now, new research has shown that a non-invasive genomic urine test can detect bladder cancer or predict its recurrence before clinical signs or symptoms appear.

UroAmp from Convergent Genomics (South San Francisco, CA, USA) employs next-generation DNA sequencing to deeply examine 60 key genes related to urothelial cancer, hunting for mutations, while simultaneously broadly assessing genome-wide changes. The outcome is a comprehensive genomic profile offering insights into a patient's cancer prognosis and predicted responses to genome-targeted drug treatments. In a multi-center case-control study, UroAmp's diagnostic and prognostic performance for bladder cancer was measured against standard-of-care methods such as cystoscopy, cytology, and pathology. The study encompassed 581 patients, including those under evaluation for hematuria (blood in urine) and those undergoing post-surgery recurrence monitoring.

Notably, UroAmp demonstrated its capability to detect minimal residual disease in surveillance patients post-cystoscopy and urine cytology, with several predicted recurrences identified over a year before clinical diagnosis. The study revealed that high-risk patients were six times more likely to experience cancer recurrence compared to low-risk patients – a crucial insight given the disease's overall recurrence rate of 60% to 70% following treatment. Additionally, UroAmp showcased a sensitivity of 95% and specificity of 90% in detecting bladder tumors during the initial diagnosis phase. This study builds upon recent breakthroughs from large public research initiatives, further defining the key genome segments that are most commonly mutated in bladder cancer. The research also identified gene associations with tumor grade and bladder invasion. A UroAmp molecular grade prediction algorithm accurately identified high-grade cancers with a positive predictive value of 88% and specificity of 95%. Several mutations discovered in this research are also under study as potential targets for new drugs or for predicting responses to existing FDA-approved therapies.

"These findings demonstrate the power of genomics in detecting minimal residual disease from urine and accurately stratifying a bladder cancer patient's risk to better inform decisions about their treatment and surveillance," said Keyan Salari, MD, PhD, lead study author and Assistant Professor of Urology at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital

"The combination of prognostic insights, therapeutic targets, and the ability to non-invasively monitor genomic response over time with UroAmp presents a new paradigm to enhance clinical trials and to ultimately better personalize care and improve outcomes," added study co-author Trevor Levin, Ph.D., Founder and CEO, Convergent Genomics.

Related Links:
Convergent Genomics 

New
Platinum Supplier
Automatic Nucleic Acid Workstation
Pana9600X
New
Gold Supplier
PCR Microplate
SAPPHIRE MICROPLATE
New
Concentrated Anionic Detergent
Tergazyme
New
Clinical Chemistry Reagents
Clinical Chemistry Reagents

Print article
GLOBETECH PUBLISHING LLC

Channels

Clinical Chemistry

view channel
Image: The new assays are designed to run on the B•R•A•H•M•S KRYPTOR compact PLUS clinical chemistry analyzer (Photo courtesy of Thermo Fisher)

Breakthrough Immunoassays to Aid in Risk Assessment of Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a life-threatening blood pressure condition that can arise during pregnancy and the postpartum phase. This severe pregnancy complication is a primary cause of maternal and fetal mortality... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: The US FDA has cleared HemoScreen point of care CBC for direct capillary sampling (Photo courtesy of PixCell Medical)

Point of Care CBC Analyzer with Direct Capillary Sampling Enhances Ease-of-Use and Testing Throughput

The world’s only 5-part differential Complete Blood Count (CBC) analyzer that is FDA-cleared, CE-marked, and TGA-approved for point-of-care use has now been granted FDA 510(k) clearance for direct capillary... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: Immune cells present long before infection predict flu symptoms (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.com)

Single Blood Draw to Detect Immune Cells Present Months before Flu Infection Can Predict Symptoms

For decades, if not centuries, scientists have struggled to solve the mystery of why certain individuals fall ill to infections while others remain unaffected. In an impressive development, researchers... Read more

Microbiology

view channel
Image: The rapid diagnostic test could pinpoint the correct antibiotic for infection treatment in under an hour (Photo courtesy of Microplate Dx)

Point-of-Care Device to Reduce Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing Time from Days to Minutes

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a significant global health issue, currently leading to over 1.27 million deaths worldwide each year. By 2050, AMR could be causing up to 10 million deaths annually, surpassing... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: The Tasso+ device has received CE Mark certification (Photo courtesy of Tasso)

Groundbreaking Blood Lancing Device Obtains Microliter Capillary Whole Blood Samples Painlessly

A convenient, virtually pain-free blood lancet that collects whole liquid blood samples has received CE Mark designation, making the patient-centric, high-volume blood collection solution available in... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: A new electrochemical device can quickly and inexpensively identify people at greatest risk for osteoporosis (Photo courtesy of ACS Central Science, 2023)

Electrochemical Device Identifies People at Higher Risk for Osteoporosis Using Single Blood Drop

With the global increase in life expectancy, the incidence of age-related conditions like osteoporosis is increasing. Osteoporosis, affecting around 200 million individuals worldwide, has a higher incidence... Read more

Industry

view channel
Image: The global fully automatic electrolyte analyzers market is projected to reach close to USD 0.77 billion by 2032 (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Global Fully Automatic Electrolyte Analyzers Market Driven by Surge in Demand for Point-of-Care Testing

Fully automatic electrolyte analyzers can measure the levels of electrolytes in various bodily fluids like blood and plasma. Electrolytes are ions that have an electrical charge and are essential for multiple... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2023 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.