URINARY NMP22 FOR THE DETECTION OF RECURRENCE AFTER TRANSURETHRAL RESECTION OF TRANSITIONAL-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE BLADDER - EXPERIENCE ON 137 PATIENTS

Objectives. To evaluate the nuclear matrix protein 22 (NMP22) test in the management of patients after transurethral resection (TUR) of recu rrent transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. Methods. The NMP22 t est was performed in 137 patients: in 42 patients, a bladder recurrenc e was detected by cystoscopy and histologically confirmed; 95 patients were recurrence-free at cytology and cystoscopy performed at least 3 months after TUR. Results. in patients with tumoral recurrence, the me an NMP22 value was 54.8 U/mL. The false-negative rate was 28.5%. In re currence-free patients, the mean NMP22 value was 22.8 U/mL. The specif icity of the NMP22 test was 61%. Higher NMP22 mean values (29.6 versus 15.8 U/mL) were found in patients who underwent intravesical chemothe rapy or immunotherapy. Conclusions. Despite its good sensitivity, the NMP22 test cannot be adopted as a routine tool in the surveillance aft er TUR of patients with superficial bladder cancer because of its low specificity. (C) 1998, Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.