Urinary glycosaminoglycan excretion in bladder carcinoma

The urinary glycosaminoglycan (GAG) excretion in 35 patients with bladder cancer was significantly greater than that in 30 normal persons. In the cancer patients, the results were analysed according to tumour characteristics. Statistically significant differences were found, with increased GAG levels paralleling tumour size, multifocality, stage and grade. These preliminary data suggest that, parallel with established clinical parameters, measurement of urinary GAG excretion provides an indicator of repair of the bladder epithelium.