Urinary Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor in Bladder Cancer Patients

Abstract

Introduction: Angiogenesis plays a significant role in the growth and progress of cancer, thus we evaluated the levels of urinary basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in bladder cancer (Ca) patients and investigated any possible correlation between this angiogenic factor with tumor stage and grade. Materials and Methods: Urine samples from 41 patients with bladder Ca, 11 patients with history of bladder Ca but negative follow-up cystoscopy, 18 patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and 15 normal healthy volunteers were assayed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for bFGF. Resulting values were normalized against urine creatinine and expressed as pg/g. Results: The median urinary bFGF level of patients with active disease, history of bladder carcinoma and negative follow-up cystoscopy, BPH, and healthy volunteers were 2,717, 1,009, 1,414 and 1,100 pg/g, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between median bFGF levels of patients with active bladder Ca and those of the other groups (p = 0.000). Eleven patients with invasive bladder Ca had a median bFGF value of 6,880 pg/g that was significantly increased (p = 0.002) compared to the median of 2,312 pg/g of those with superficial tumors (Ta 14, T1 16). Grades 1, 2 and 3 carcinoma were found in 5, 19 and 17 patients which had a median bFGF of 2,717, 1,762 and 3,617 pg/g, respectively, but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.13). Conclusions: Our results confirm the implication of bFGF in the biology of bladder cancer, and demonstrate that urinary bFGF concentration seems to be significantly related to the stage but not to the grade of the disease supporting the proposed mechanisms of release of bFGF. Further studies are required in order to validate the potential clinical applications of bFGF for specific groups of bladder cancer patients.

Alterations of Urine TGF-β1 and bFGF following Bladder Outlet Obstruction: A Predictor for Detrusor Contractibility?

“…Gravas et al [17] found elevated levels of urinary bFGF in patients with bladder cancer and its concentration seemed to be significantly related to the stage but not to the grade of the disease. Gupta et al [18] demonstrated that markedly elevated urinary bFGF may be useful as a noninvasive marker to assess progression of cystic renal development.…”

Effect of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Its Receptor Inhibitor on Proliferation and Invasion in Bladder Cancer

“…Basic fibroblasts growth factor FGF, a member of the FGF family, is one of the most important angiogenic molecules stimulating endothelial cell proliferation, migration and differentiation to neovasculature. The implication of basic FGF in the biology of bladder cancer is confirmed and that the urinary basic FGF concentration seems to be significantly related to the stage has been demonstrated [9] .…”

Spotlight on Differentially Expressed Genes in Urinary Bladder Cancer

“…The most common oncogenes and some of the tumor-suppressor genes relevant to BC are components of this pathway [85]. FGF2 protein levels have been reported to be significantly increased in BC tissues [82], [83], [86], [87], [88], and its expression is positively correlated with tumor grade [87]. FGF2 was also reported to be a predictor for recurrence when residual disease was present in the cystectomy specimen [79].…”