Shima Habibi1, Hassan Jamshidian2, Mahdi Kadivar3, Mohammad Reza Eshraghian4, Mohammad Hassan Javanbakht1, Hoda Derakhshanian1, Mahmoud Djalali1. 1. Department of Cellular and Molecular Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 2. Department of Urology, Medical School, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 3. Department of Biochemistry, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran. 4. Department of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The gold standard for detection of bladder cancer is cystoscopy, which is an invasive and complicated procedure. Our study was conducted to find a tumor marker with high specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy for the diagnosis of bladder cancer. METHODS: Serum samples were collected from 58 bladder cancer patients and 60 healthy control subjects. Levels of lipid-bound sialic acid (LBSA), and protein-bound sialic acid (PBSA) were measured spectrophotometrically by Aminoff's method. RESULTS: Mean levels of both markers were found to be significantly higher in the patients than the healthy controls. Positive correlations were observed between serum levels of lipid- (r=0.283, p<0.05) and protein- bound (r=0.56, p<0.05) sialic acids and the grade of malignancy. To differentiate patients with bladder tumors from healthy controls, cut-offpoints were determined for each of the two parameters based on Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis (LBSA=21.25 mg/dL, PBSA=6.15 mg/dL). The data showed good sensitivities (LBSA=89%, PBSA=79%), specificities (LBSA=70%, PBSA=70%) and accuracies (LBSA=83%, PBSA=81%) for both markers. CONCLUSION: Measuring serum LBSA and PBSA by this simple, reproducible, noninvasive, and inexpensive method can accurately discriminate cancer patients from healthy individuals.
BACKGROUND: The gold standard for detection of bladder cancer is cystoscopy, which is an invasive and complicated procedure. Our study was conducted to find a tumor marker with high specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy for the diagnosis of bladder cancer. METHODS: Serum samples were collected from 58 bladder cancerpatients and 60 healthy control subjects. Levels of lipid-bound sialic acid (LBSA), and protein-bound sialic acid (PBSA) were measured spectrophotometrically by Aminoff's method. RESULTS: Mean levels of both markers were found to be significantly higher in the patients than the healthy controls. Positive correlations were observed between serum levels of lipid- (r=0.283, p<0.05) and protein- bound (r=0.56, p<0.05) sialic acids and the grade of malignancy. To differentiate patients with bladder tumors from healthy controls, cut-offpoints were determined for each of the two parameters based on Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis (LBSA=21.25 mg/dL, PBSA=6.15 mg/dL). The data showed good sensitivities (LBSA=89%, PBSA=79%), specificities (LBSA=70%, PBSA=70%) and accuracies (LBSA=83%, PBSA=81%) for both markers. CONCLUSION: Measuring serum LBSA and PBSA by this simple, reproducible, noninvasive, and inexpensive method can accurately discriminate cancerpatients from healthy individuals.