Flow Cytometry Analysis in Voided Urine of Patients with Bladder Cancer

Abstract

Flow cytometry is known to be able to give a quantitative evaluation of the DNA of cellular populations (grade of ploidy), as well as to estimate the percentages of phases (S + G2M) providing useful information about the pathology in question and its aggressivity. This method has been applied in diagnosing patients with bladder cancer, using their voided urine and comparing with urine cytology. Our data, from 59 patients, indicate flow cytometry utility in diagnosing bladder cancer; in fact there is an excellent correlation between the urinary cytology and the DNA content in cytometry which increases in higher grade bladder cancer. The sensitivity of CFM is in the range of 92% to 94%, and is superior to that of conventional voided urine cytology (range 64% to 84%). It is felt that cytofluorometric analysis permits a reliable evaluation of voided urine, not only at first diagnosis, but especially during follow-up.