European Medical Journal Urology (Dec 2013)
Multiplex Urinary Tests for Bladder Cancer Diagnosis
Abstract
The development of accurate and reliable molecular assays that could diagnose bladder cancer would be of significant benefit to both patients and the healthcare system. Non-invasive assays that have utility not only for diagnosis, but also for monitoring disease recurrence and response to treatment, are needed. Current urinary tests lack sufficient sensitivity or specificity, often because of a reliance on single biomarkers, but high-throughput technologies are enabling the derivation of more accurate panels of biomarkers. In this article, we review some of the promising investigational studies that are revealing multiplex biomarker signatures that may augment current bladder cancer detection strategies.