A newly developed urine test can now detect DNA mutations identified with urothelial cancers, reported the researchers at The Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. This test aims at early detection of bladder cancer in at-risk patients, those with hematuria or smokers, as well as patients who have already gone through a procedure to treat bladder cancer and at risk of recurrence. This novel test uses urine samples to seek out mutations in 11 genes or the presence of abnormal numbers of chromosomes that would indicate the presence of DNA associated with bladder cancer or upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC).
When combined with cytology, the gold standard noninvasive test currently used for detection, it significantly enhanced early detection for patients who are considered at risk for bladder cancer and surveillance of patients who had already been treated for bladder cancer. A total of…
