BMC Urology, cilt.25, sa.1, 2025 (SCI-Expanded)
Background: Bladder cancer has high morbidity and mortality rates when it is diagnosed at an advanced stage. The aim of our study is to determine the effect of the DR-70 protein in the diagnosis of bladder cancer and to evaluate its relationship with the grade of the disease. Methods: Serum samples from 60 patients with bladder cancer and 24 control patients with macroscopic hematuria of benign etiology were included in the study. DR-70 levels were compared between the bladder cancer group and the control group. Additionally, a comparison was made between patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer and those with muscle invasive disease. Results: The median DR-70 level in the bladder cancer group was 1.08 U/mL (0.48–8.5), whereas it was 0.89 U/mL (0.29–1.76) in the control group. The DR-70 level was significantly greater in the bladder cancer group than in the control group (p = 0.012). DR-70 had a sensitivity of 73.3% and a specificity of 66.7% in detecting bladder cancer. On the other hand, the median DR-70 level was 1.06 U/mL (0.48–4.09) in patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (Ta, T1) and 2.66 U/mL (0.57–8.5) in patients with invasive bladder cancer (T2). DR-70 levels were significantly greater in patients with invasive bladder cancer than in those with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (p = 0.021). Additionally, DR-70 had 72.7% sensitivity and 63.3% specificity in detecting muscle invasive bladder cancer. Conclusions: Compared with that in the control group, the protein level of DR-70 significantly increased in patients with bladder cancer and was greater in the group with muscle invasion.