Urinary BTA-Stat, BTA-Trak and NMP22 in surveillance after TUR of recurrent superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder

Objectives: To evaluate NMP22, BTA-Stat and BTA-Trak tests in monitoring recurrent transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. Methods: The tests were performed in 179 selected patients being followed up for recurrent superficial bladder tumors: 55 patients had bladder recurrence and 124 patients were recurrence free. The NMP22 test was obtained in all patients; BTA-Stat and BTA-Trak in the last 96 and 74 patients, respectively. Sixty-four patients (51.6%) were undergoing adjuvant intravesical chemotherapy. Results: Sensitivity was 74, 57 and 62% and specificity was 55, 62 and 79% for NMP22, BTA-Stat and BTA-Trak, respectively. A high percentage of patients submitted to intravesical chemotherapy had false-positive tests. Positive predictive values of the NMP22, BTA-Stat and BTA-Trak tests were 42.2, 40 and 45.4%, and negative predictive values were 82.9, 76.9 and 88.4%, respectively. Conclusions: NMP22, BTA-Stat and BTA-Trak tests cannot replace cystoscopy and cannot be adopted as routine tools in surveillance after TUR in patients with superficial bladder cancer. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG. Basel.