Urine Test Detects Kidney Cancer

Researchers have demonstrated the ability of a molecular DNA-based test called methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to identify kidney cancer in urine, including stage 1 cancer. Their work was reported in the December 15, 2003, issue of Cancer Research.

The test searched for six cancer-specific tumor-suppressor genes that were altered, causing them to falter in their critical role of preventing errant cell growth. When the same test was conducted in urine from people without cancer, none showed the relevant gene alterations. Ordinarily, these six genes are identified only after a pathologist's review of tumor tissue. There is no protein marker test for kidney cancer as there is for prostate cancer. Diagnosis is made after radiographic imaging of the kidney, which can be difficult to interpret or may give a false-negative result. The test was developed by researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center (Philadelphia, PA, USA).

"The test is remarkably accurate with no false-positives in this study,” said coauthor Robert G. Uzzo, M.D., a urologic surgeon at Fox Chase. "In addition, one of the most impressive outcomes of this research is that the test also identified 27 of the 30 patients with stage 1 disease. Finding these cancers early means earlier treatment and better prognosis.”





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