Urinary Telomerase Activity, C-erbB2, Malondialdehyde and Nitric Oxide as Possible Biological Markers of Bladder Cancer

The aim of the present study is to evaluate the possible diagnostic role of telomerase activity, c-erbB2, malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels in the urine of bladder cancer patients. Eighty urine samples were taken from 3 groups of individuals; 1) Ten healthy age matched control subjects, 2) Twenty schistosoma haematobium infectedpatients and 3) Fifty preoperative bladder cancer patients. Fresh urine samples(50mL) were collected and subjected to the assay of telomerase activity in urine sediment. Urine telomerase activity was increased in 72 % of bladder cancer cases. Bilharzial nonmalignant group showed normal telomerase activity as compared to normal healthy controls. Its increase in bladder cancer patients with bilharzial infection was statistically insignificant compared to non bilharzial cancer group. Urine telomerase activity of bladder cancer patients were increased in an ascendingmanner with tumor grades. Malondialdehyde level increased in bladder cancer patients with bilharzial infestation rather than those without bilharziasis, but the difference was statistically insignificant. C-erbB2 expression increased in 27 % of bladder cancer patients; while no single case of the bilharzial group showed positive c-erbB2 expression. Regarding the stage of tumor, nitric oxide level in bladder cancerpatients showed statistically significant difference between stage I, II and stage III (p=0.04). Statistically significant positive correlation between telomerase and c-erbB2 in bladder (r=0.456 & p=0.005) has been observed. The study of telomerase activity in the urine sediment of bladder cancer cases may be a useful marker for early detection of the disease.