Diagnosis and prediction of recurrence and progression in superficial bladder cancers with DNA image cytometry and urinary cytology.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the roles of urinary cytology and image cytometric analysis of nuclear DNA ploidy pattern in the diagnosis and prediction of recurrence and/or progression of superficial bladder cancers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Aliquots of catheterized urine from 92 patients with primary (23) or previous (69) superficial bladder cancers were assessed using urine cytology and image-analysis cytometry independently. RESULTS: Of the 23 primary superficial transitional cell carcinomas (TCCs), 11 (48%) were detected by urinary cytology while 12 (52%) were detected by image-analysis cytometry (P > 0.05) and 13 (57%) were revealed by combined cytology and cytometry. Of 42 recurrent superficial TCCs, 29 (69%) were detected by urinary cytology, whilst 19 (45%) were diagnosed by cytometry (P < 0.05) and 29 (69%) by combined cytology and cytometry. The degree of ploidy in relation to pathological stage and/or grade showed an increasing frequency of aneuploid pattern in more invasive and undifferentiated tumours, but with no statistical significance (P > 0.05). The positivity of DNA image cytometry had no significant association (P > 0.05) with tumour recurrence and/or progression. CONCLUSIONS: DNA image cytometry can provide a limited but not significant advantage over urinary cytology in the detection of primary superficial TCCs, but it does not seem to be indicated for the prediction of tumour recurrence and/or progression.