Liquid Biopsy Biomarkers in Bladder Cancer: A Current Need for Patient Diagnosis and Monitoring

Abstract

Bladder Cancer (BC) represents a clinical and social challenge due to its high incidence and recurrence rates, as well as the limited advances in effective disease management. Currently, a combination of cytology and cystoscopy is the routinely used methodology for diagnosis, prognosis and disease surveillance. However, both the poor sensitivity of cytology tests as well as the high invasiveness and big variation in tumour stage and grade interpretation using cystoscopy, emphasizes the urgent need for improvements in BC clinical guidance. Liquid biopsy represents a new non-invasive approach that has been extensively studied over the last decade and holds great promise. Even though its clinical use is still compromised, multiple studies have recently focused on the potential application of biomarkers in liquid biopsies for BC, including circulating tumour cells and DNA, RNAs, proteins and peptides, metabolites and extracellular vesicles. In this review, we summarize the present knowledge on the different types of biomarkers, their potential use in liquid biopsy and clinical applications in BC.

<p>Biological Roles and Mechanisms of Circular RNA in Human Cancers</p>

“…Bladder cancer is the 9th most common cancer around the world with an estimated 165,000 deaths per year. 145,146 Increased number of studies indicated that circRNAs were involved in the occurrence and development of bladder cancer. [147][148][149][150] For instance, circUVRAG derived from the exon from the UV radiation resistance-associated gene (UVRAG) was highly increased in bladder cancer cells, and regulated the aggressive biological phenotype through targeting the miR-223/fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) signaling pathway.…”

A Panel of Urinary Long Non-coding RNAs Differentiate Bladder Cancer from Urocystitis

“…Recently, several reports have highlighted the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as urine-based biomarkers for diagnosis of bladder cancer [1,[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. Long non-coding RNAs are transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides that are not translated into protein [23].…”

“…Encouraged by these successes, in this study, we attempted to discover and evaluate the prediction power of a panel of lncRNAs biomarkers to discriminate bladder cancer from urocystitis. We chose totally sixteen lncRNAs as our candidate biomarkers, as suggested by previous studies [1,[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. We conducted a study of 140 NMIBC patients and 140 urocystitis patients.…”

“…Bladder cancer concerns approximately 549,393 new cases each year worldwide and its incidence is constantly increasing [1,2]. At time of diagnosis, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) represents the majority of cases, accounting for 70% [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]. Early diagnosis and treatment of cancerous or precancerous lesions is thought to be important for reducing the risk of relapse and improving the prognosis of NMIBC [10].…”

Rapid and quantitative detection of urinary Cyfra21-1 using fluorescent nanosphere-based immunochromatographic test strip for diagnosis and prognostic monitoring of bladder cancer

“…Bladder cancer (BC) is one of the most common cancers with an estimated 165,000 deaths per year in the world [1]. Although the diagnosis and treatment techniques of bladder cancer have improved greatly in recent years, the probabilities of recurrence and progression is still high after local treatment, the 5-year survival rate and recurrence rate of high-grade BC can be approximately 5 and 80%, respectively [2][3][4], and the 5-year progression rate is about 45% [5]. Therefore, regular re-examination is required after surgery.…”