The common thought surrounding bladder cancer is that it is a disease that older men are diagnosed with. Fact is that men are more likely to be diagnosed earlier than women. When men present with blood in their urine (hematuria), it will be addressed and diagnosed quickly. Many women ignore hematuria in their urine because they think it’s normal due to menstruation, a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) or menopause. Because early signs are often ignored, women have a higher chance of being told they have an advanced stage of bladder cancer than men.
Symptoms of bladder cancer in men and women are often similar and may include blood in the urine, pain during urination, frequent urination, and a feeling of urgency to urinate even when the bladder is not full. These symptoms can also be caused by other conditions, so it’s important to get a proper diagnosis. If blood is seen in your urine, it is key to make an appointment with a urologist immediately. Time is always of the essence in these matters and a professional will begin the testing processes to focus on a diagnosis and treatment plan.
Risk factors for bladder cancer in men are higher as their careers commonly expose them to cancer-causing chemicals more often that women. Exposures include smoking, exposure to certain chemicals, chronic bladder infections, and a family history of bladder cancer. Smoking and exposure to chemicals contain toxins and other carcinogens that are excreted in the urine, which has an extended contact time within the bladder before they are released.
Regular check-ups and early detection are important for the successful treatment of bladder cancer in both men and women.
Acupath is revolutionizing the detection of bladder cancer. Recognized by the FDA as a “Breakthrough Device”, Acupath ACU-URO17 is an innovative urinary biomarker that can be used as a stand-alone test or in conjunction with urine cytology to provide valuable clinical utility in the diagnosis and management of bladder cancer, while potentially generating a significant new revenue stream for the practice/lab. Acupath ACU-URO17 detects the expression of the protein cytokeratin 17, which occurs prior to the changes required for observation by both cytology and FISH, enabling the assay to detect both low- and high-grade disease.
CLINICIAL UTILIZATION
- Non-invasive (voided urine), used as an adjunct to Urine Cytology and / or UroVysion™ FISH
- 95%+ NPV – – – RULE OUT bladder cancer by confirming benign cytology results or adjudicating atypia
- 95%+ Sensitivity – – – RULE IN in patients in need of additional diagnostic follow up
- Unlike cytology and FISH, Acupath ACU-URO17 detects both low and high grade disease
- Available TC only or Global (CPT 88360)
- Highly expressed in urothelial carcinoma
Acupath provides three diagnosis categories:
URO17 EXPRESSION: HIGH
- Probability of urothelial cancer is elevated, and urothelial cancer workup is recommended.
URO17 EXPRESSION: LOW
- Probability of urothelial cancer is increased. Active surveillance, repeat testing and diagnostic work-up should be considered.
URO17 EXPRESSION: NEGATIVE
- Probability of urothelial cancer is low. De-intensify cancer surveillance.
Note to clinicians: Potential False positive Acupath URO17 results have been observed in patients with recent BCG therapy, urinary tract infection, inflammation, pelvic radiation, or stones. This biomarker should be used in conjunction with other known clinical factors to help guide decision making in the evaluation of patients with suspected urothelial carcinoma.
Acupath URO17 is offered as a Laboratory Developed test and has not been cleared or approved by the US FDA.
