Leading Medical Experts Reach Consensus On The Use Of a New Bladder Cancer Test
Painless Test Brings Greater Comfort, Accuracy and May Serve as an Early
Predictor of Recurrence
NEW ORLEANS, April 14 /PRNewswire/ -- A panel of leading urologists from around the world met yesterday in conjunction with the annual meeting of the American Urological Association, to discuss improving the detection and management of bladder cancer post surgery. Experts discussed clinical strategies for integrating the NMP22(R) Test Kit into the management of bladder cancer. There are over 2 million people throughout the world who suffer from bladder cancer.
Dr. Daniel Rukstalis, Allegheny University Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, stated that the NMP22 Test Kit is considerably more sensitive than cytology for the detection and monitoring of bladder cancer.
"NMP22 clearly demonstrated the clinical utility of nuclear matrix
proteins as the basis for superior cancer detection products and confirms the feasibility of their use in tests for other cancer types," said Rukstalis.
"The key to treating cancer is to catch it early and NMP22 demonstrates the test's superiority compared to voided cytology in bladder cancer patients. This shows significant promise and should be incorporated into the management of bladder cancer patients."
Urine cytology uses a microscope to check cells in the urine. The other follow up examination method is cystoscopy, which is performed by inserting a fiber-optic tube into the bladder through the urethra to look for abnormal cells that signal the return of cancer.
"As bladder cancer patients well know, cystoscopy is uncomfortable and can only detect cancer not predict its recurrence," said Rukstalis. "Furthermore, cytology is estimated to detect only four cases of bladder cancer out of ten."
The NMP22 Test Kit uses a monoclonal antibody assay to measure the levels of a proprietary protein, NMP22, in the urine. Post-surgical patients with levels of NMP22 above 10.0 U/ml have a 70% chance of having a recurrence at the next cystoscopy. Unlike the only other available test which is qualitative, the NMP22 Test Kit is not affected by blood in the urine or common intravesical treatments such as BCG or thiotepa. Current labeling recommends that the NMP22 Test be performed following surgery. Patients either give the urine to a physician or mail it directly to a testing laboratory.
"Clinical studies show that NMP22 levels may be quite useful as an early predicator of the recurrence of tumors in bladder cancer patients," said Dr. Mark S. Soloway, chairman, Department of Urological Oncology, University of Miami. "This predictive information may be important to patient management because it can prove useful as the physician individualizes treatment following surgery by identifying people who need aggressive management from
those who will need less intensive surveillance."
Nuclear Matrix Protein (NMP) tests measure the amount of a particular protein in the urine. People with bladder cancer excrete nuclear matrix proteins in greater amounts than healthy people. In July 1996, the Food and Drug Administration approved the NMP22 Test Kit for sale in the United States. The test is the only quantitative, non-invasive, painless urine test for transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), the type of cancer that is responsible for 90 percent of bladder cancers. NMPs are found in the nucleus of cells where
they contribute to the structure of the nucleus and various cell functions. NMP22 is found in both normal and cancer cells in the bladder. As cells die, NMPs are routinely shed into urine and blood through a natural process known as apoptosis. Healthy individuals generally have very small amounts of NMP in their urine or blood. However, an increased level of certain NMPs may provide important information about cellular abnormalities including cancer. NMP22 is
often elevated in the urine of patients with bladder cancer, at the earliest stages of the disease.
Matritech Inc is the manufacturer of the NMP22 Test Kit
for bladder cancer. Located in Newton, Massachusetts, Matritech is dedicated to the development of products to aid in the management of cancer patients. The Company has a number of NMP-based products in various stages of development including tests for early detection of lung, colon, prostate, cervical and breast cancer.
SOURCE Matritech, Inc. |
