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Prognostic Effect of DNA Aneuploidy from Bladder Washings in Superficial Bladder Cancer

¹ Division of Medical Oncology, E.O. Ospedali Galliera; ² Department of Health Sciences (DI.S.SAL.), ³ Department of Experimental Medicine, and ⁴ Urology Clinic, University of Genoa; ⁵ Division of Urology, Villa Scassi Hospital; ⁶ Division of Clinical Epidemiology, National Institute for Cancer Research, Genoa, Italy; and ⁷ Division of Chemoprevention, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy

Requests for reprints: Andrea Decensi, Division of Medical Oncology, E.O. Ospedali Galliera, Mura delle Cappuccine 14, 16128 Genoa, Italy. Phone: 39-010-563-4501/4508; Fax: 39-010-5748-1090. E-mail andrea.decensi{at}galliera.it

Background: Superficial (papillary) bladder cancer is associated with progression and death from muscle-invasive bladder cancer, but no reliable predictors of the outcomes have been identified.

Methods: We analyzed the long-term prognostic effect of DNA flow cytometry in bladder washings from 93 subjects with previously resected T_a and T₁ bladder tumors who participated in a chemoprevention trial of the synthetic retinoid fenretinide. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression were used to determine the prognostic effect of DNA aneuploidy on cancer progression and mortality in conjunction with conventional clinical factors after a median of 11.5 years (interquartile range, 9.5-11.7 years).

Results: Overall, 58 of 93 (62%) specimens were DNA aneuploid at baseline. Progression-free survival was significantly shorter in subjects with stage T₁ [hazard ratio (HR), 31.6; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 2.6-386.1; P < 0.001] and in subjects with baseline DNA aneuploid washing (HR, 10.5; 95% CI, 1.1-126.1; P = 0.03). The risk of death was also greater for stage T₁ tumors (HR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.04-6.7; P = 0.04). DNA aneuploidy was a significant prognostic factor also for overall survival (HR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.0-9.0; P = 0.05). Fenretinide treatment had no significant effect on cancer progression and death.

Conclusions: DNA aneuploidy in washings from endoscopically normal bladder is a significant predictor of progression and death in addition to tumor stage. This biomarker may help to identify and monitor a high-risk group who may benefit from a chemoprevention intervention. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2007;16(5):979–83)