Metabolomic Biomarkers for Prognosis in Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer: A Comprehensive Systematic Review and...

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Metabolomics
• Biomarker Discovery

Background:

• Prognostic biomarkers, or metabolites, are increasingly important for predicting clinical outcomes and guiding therapy in cancer.
• Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) requires reliable predictors for patient management and treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and perform a meta-analysis on the prognostic significance of metabolites in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).
• To evaluate the association of metabolites with key NMIBC outcomes, including recurrence-free survival (RFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS).

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases (January 2010 - August 2022).
• Eligible studies were assessed for quality using the New Castle Ottawa Scale (NOS).
• Pooled hazard ratios (H.R.s) with 95% confidence intervals (C.I.s) were calculated to determine the prognostic role of metabolites.

Main Results:

• Fifteen studies with 5491 participants were included in the meta-analysis.
• Metabolites demonstrated significant correlations with PFS (pooled HR, 4.48; 95% CI, 1.70-11.80), RFS (pooled HR, 2.85; 95% CI, 1.91-4.26), and OS (HR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.07-2.98).
• Pretreatment metabolite levels were associated with recurrence prediction and disease outcomes in NMIBC patients.

Conclusions:

• Metabolites are significant prognostic predictors for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).
• These biomarkers can independently predict recurrence and overall disease outcomes.
• Metabolite analysis should be considered in clinical decision-making for NMIBC patients.