Effect of intravesical treatment of transitional cell carcinoma with bacillus Calmette-Guerin and mitomycin C on urinary survivin levels and outcome.

PURPOSE

Urine survivin is a predictive/prognostic molecular marker that detects transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) with high specificity and sensitivity. The presence of urine survivin in patients with TCC who receive intravesical instillation of bacillus Calmette-Guerin or mitomycin C may predict recurrence.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Urine from 25 subjects receiving 27 intravesical treatments of bacillus Calmette-Guerin or mitomycin C for TCC were collected prior to, during and after treatment. Urinary survivin levels were compared with outcome, as assessed by cytology and cystoscopy with or without biopsy 1 month and up to 12 months after the completion of treatment.

RESULTS

Pretreatment survivin levels were higher in subjects in whom TCC recurred following treatment compared with those who achieved remission. Survivin levels increased several-fold during treatment with the highest survivin levels measured in subjects with recurrence. Median posttreatment values of survivin were zero in those who achieved remission and 1.0 ng/ml urine in subjects in whom TCC recurred.

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of urinary survivin 1 month after the completion of treatment predicts TCC recurrence with 100% sensitivity and 78% specificity. Specificity to predict TCC recurrence increases to 92% after 1 year. No TCC recurred for 1 year in 12 of the 14 subjects with a posttreatment survivin level of 0.1 ng or less per ml urine. Three of the 4 subjects who were survivin positive but in remission 1 month after the completion of treatment had recurrent TCC within 1 year. Subjects who have urinary survivin after the completion of intravesical instillation have a high likelihood of TCC recurrence.