Abstract
The ability to detect and monitor bladder cancer in noninvasively obtained urine samples is a major goal. While a number of protein biomarkers have been identified and commercially developed, none have greatly improved the accuracy of sample evaluation over invasive cystoscopy. The ongoing development of high-throughput proteomic profiling technologies will facilitate the identification of molecular signatures that are associated with bladder disease. The appropriate use of these approaches has the potential to provide efficient biomarkers for the early detection and monitoring of recurrent bladder cancer. Identification of disease-associated proteins will also advance our knowledge of tumor biology, which, in turn, will enable development of targeted therapeutics aimed at reducing morbidity from bladder cancer. In this article, we focus on the accumulating proteomic signatures of urine in health and disease, and discuss expected future developments in this field of research.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.