Urinary Protein Profiles in Patients with Urothelial Bladder Tumours

Department of Clinical Chemistry, Central Hospital, Nykpbing Falster; Department of Urology, Hvidovre University Hospital and Urological Department H, Herlev University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark Summary —Urinary protein profiles were studied in 32 patients with urothelial bladder tumours, using immunonephelometry. In patients with and without residual or recurrent tumours a glomerular type of proteinuria was demonstrated. In patients with grade Ill‐IV transitional cell carcinoma the glomerular proteinuria was more severe than in patients with grade I‐II tumours. lncreased excretion of low molecular weight proteins was observed only in patients with grade Ill‐IV tumours. The use of the increased relative clearance of albumin, transferrin, and haptoglobin as a diagnostic test was attempted in detecting residual or recurrent tumours. In patients with grade Ill‐IV turnours the predictive value of a positive or negative test was 92% and 100% respectively, whereas the relative protein clearance was without predictive value in patients with grade I‐II tumours.