Results of a multicenter trial using the BTA test to monitor for and diagnose recurrent bladder cancer.

Abstract

We compare the Bard BTA (bladder tumor antigen) test to voided cytology studies in patients undergoing surveillance cystoscopy for recurrent bladder cancer. A prospective, blinded, multicenter trial was performed. A total of 499 patients underwent 1,014 cystoscopic examinations and tumor was identified in 151. The bladder tumor antigen test was more sensitive than cytology studies in detecting recurrent cancer (p < 0.001), being positive in 61 cases versus 25 for cytology. The trial in healthy volunteers and nonurological patients estimates bladder tumor antigen test specificity to be 95.9%. The bladder tumor antigen test is a simple, rapid and inexpensive adjunct to cystoscopy, and the results are equivalent or superior to those of voided cytology as performed in this trial.