TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTORS-BETA-1 AND BETA-2 IN SERUM AND URINE FROMPATIENTS WITH BLADDER-CARCINOMA

Purpose: Transforming growth factors-beta (TGF-beta) are cellular regu lators and potent angiogenic factors. We determined serum and urinary levels of TGF-beta 1 and beta 2 in patients with bladder carcinoma to study a correlation with tumor stage, grade and metastatic spread. Mat erials and Methods: Using commercial immunoassays TGF-beta 1 and beta 2 were determined in serum and urine samples from 57 bladder cancer pa tients and 18 healthy controls. Results: Serum TGF-beta 1 levels were significantly elevated in 21 patients with invasive bladder cancer (61 .5 ng./ml.) compared to 18 healthy controls (36.3 ng./ml.), whereas se rum TGF-beta 1 levels in 36 patients with superficial bladder tumors w ere within the normal range (33.4 ng./ml.). Serum TGF-beta 1 was incre ased in 27 patients with grade 3 tumors (55.7 ng./ml.), compared to 16 with grade 1 and 14 with grade 2 tumors (32.6 and 33.3 ng./ml., respe ctively). By contrast, serum TGF-beta 2 levels were not different from those of controls. No significant increase in serum TGF-beta 1 and be ta 2 could be found in patients with lymph node metastases. In urine s pecimens there was no significant correlation of TGF-beta 1 and beta 2 with tumor stage. Conclusions: Our results suggest that elevated seru m TGF-beta 1 may be relevant for diagnosis of bladder cancer and furth er studies are warranted.