UGP in urogenital disorders: Egyptian experience

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Oncology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Urinary gonadotropin peptide (UGP), also known as urinary gonadotropin fragment (UGF) or beta-core of hCG (c beta hCG), is a 10.5 kD peptide sharing sequence identity with the beta-subunit core of human chorionic gonadotropin.
• UGP is detectable in urine during normal pregnancy and in patients with various malignancies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical utility of UGP as a tumor marker in Egyptian patients with urogenital disorders.

Main Methods:

• A total of 793 participants (462 males, 331 females) were categorized into groups: bladder cancer, benign urinary tract disorders, gynecological malignancies, benign gynecological diseases, and healthy controls.
• UGP levels were quantified in 24-hour urine samples using ELISA (Triton UGP - EIA).
• Correlation between 24-hour and morning urine UGP levels was assessed.

Main Results:

• UGP levels were significantly elevated in cancer patients compared to controls and benign disease groups.
• Female subjects exhibited higher UGP levels than males in control and benign groups.
• Postmenopausal women showed significantly higher UGP levels than premenopausal women.
• UGP demonstrated greater sensitivity and specificity for bladder cancer detection compared to gynecological cancer.
• A strong correlation (r=0.934) was observed between UGP levels in 24-hour and morning urine samples.

Conclusions:

• UGP is a potential biomarker for urogenital malignancies, particularly bladder cancer.
• Sex and menopausal status may influence UGP levels.
• UGP shows promise as a non-invasive diagnostic tool for urogenital cancers.