H19 non-coding RNA in urine cells detects urothelial carcinoma: a pilot study

Abstract

Context: Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is common and highly recurrent. Diagnosis and follow-up involve invasive cystoscopies.

Objective: To evaluate H19 RNA in urine cells as diagnostic tool for UC.

Materials and methods: RT-PCR analysis of urine samples from healthy volunteers and UC patients.

Results: H19 RNA was unequivocally detected in the urine of 90.5% of patients and 25.9% of controls. H19 copies were three orders of magnitude higher in patients. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed an area under the curve of 0.933.

Conclusions: This pilot study shows that urinary cell H19 is a highly sensitive test for UC and pending verification could transform patient management.

Keywords:

• Non-coding RNA
• diagnostic biomarkers
• urine biomarkers
• bladder cancer

Acknowledgements

We thank Ms. Gillian Kay who provided medical writing assistance on behalf of BioCancell.

Disclosure statement

Dr. Michal Gilon and Dr. Avraham Hochberg report financial interest and/or other relationship with BioCancell. Other authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by BioCancell, 1/3 High-Tech Village, Givat Ram, PO Box 39264, Jerusalem 9139102, Israel. IZB-D is supported by the I-CORE Program of the Planning and Budgeting Committee and the Israel Science Foundation under grant number 41/11.