13 Mar 2023 • A new study revealed Friday at the European Association of Urology annual meeting in Milan, Italy, suggested that detecting genetic abnormalities in urine could aid in the early detection of bladder cancer years before symptoms appear. The International Agency for Research on Cancer's Florence Le Calvez-Kelm, the study's principal author, stated in a news release that the diagnosis of bladder cancer depends on pricy and intrusive procedures like cystoscopy, which requires putting a camera into the bladder. "Having a less invasive urine test that might accurately detect and even predict the possibility of developing cancer years in advance could assist to spot more cancers at an early stage and save needless cystoscopies in healthy patients," the study authors write. The UroAmp test was investigated by researchers in France, Iran, and the United States under the direction of Le Calvez-Kelm. Researchers narrowed down the test, which identifies mutations in 60 genes, to create a new one that focuses on mutations in 10 genes. In 19 cases, or 66% of cases, the test correctly identified bladder cancer up to 12 years before clinical diagnosis. When urine samples were taken within seven years of a diagnosis, it was more accurate, correctly predicting bladder cancer in 86% of subjects. In the control group, the test had a 96% accuracy rate and returned negative results for 94 out of 98 individuals who did not develop cancer. The most important genetic mutations that can significantly increase the risk of cancer developing within 10 years have been identified. A urine gene test could be used for routine screening of patients at high risk for developing bladder cancer and to reduce unnecessary cystoscopies.

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