Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 14, 2026
Cell-Free DNA Integrity Analysis in Urine Samples
Published on: January 5, 2017
Prognostic effect of DNA aneuploidy from bladder washings in superficial bladder cancer
Matteo Puntoni1, Silvia Zanardi, Daniela Branchi
1Division of Medical Oncology, E.O. Ospedali Galliera, Mura delle Cappuccine 14, 16128 Genoa, Italy.
Background:
Superficial (papillary) bladder cancer is associated with progression and death from muscle-invasive bladder cancer, but no reliable predictors of the outcomes have been identified.
Methods:
We analyzed the long-term prognostic effect of DNA flow cytometry in bladder washings from 93 subjects with previously resected T(a) and T(1) bladder tumors who participated in a chemoprevention trial of the synthetic retinoid fenretinide. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression were used to determine the prognostic effect of DNA aneuploidy on cancer progression and mortality in conjunction with conventional clinical factors after a median of 11.5 years (interquartile range, 9.5-11.7 years).
Results:
Overall, 58 of 93 (62%) specimens were DNA aneuploid at baseline. Progression-free survival was significantly shorter in subjects with stage T(1) [hazard ratio (HR), 31.6; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 2.6-386.1; P < 0.001] and in subjects with baseline DNA aneuploid washing (HR, 10.5; 95% CI, 1.1-126.1; P = 0.03). The risk of death was also greater for stage T(1) tumors (HR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.04-6.7; P = 0.04). DNA aneuploidy was a significant prognostic factor also for overall survival (HR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.0-9.0; P = 0.05). Fenretinide treatment had no significant effect on cancer progression and death.
Conclusions:
DNA aneuploidy in washings from endoscopically normal bladder is a significant predictor of progression and death in addition to tumor stage. This biomarker may help to identify and monitor a high-risk group who may benefit from a chemoprevention intervention.
