Value of serum laminin P1 as a diagnostic and monitoring parameter in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

In a combined (cross-sectional and longitudinal) study, the serum concentration of laminin P1 was measured by radioimmunoassay in 16 patients with benign inflammatory bladder disorders and 47 patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. The results were compared with the serum laminin P1 values in 50 healthy control subjects. In the cross-sectional study, the mean value of serum laminin P1 was significantly higher in bladder cancer patients than either the controls (p < 0.0001) or patients with benign inflammatory bladder disorders (p < 0.001). Similarly, the mean values of all different stages of grades of the tumor were significantly higher than either the controls or patients with benign inflammatory disorders. Progressive increase in the mean values of serum laminin P1 could also be found with deterioration of the stage or grade of the tumor. However, the difference between the mean values of the different cancer stages or grades did not reach statistical significance. In the longitudinal study, no significant difference could be detected between the mean values of patients with superficial tumor recurrence and those with remission of the disease (p > 0.5). Nevertheless, in the invasive cancer group, the levels of serum laminin P1 were directly proportional with progression of the disease (Z = 2.94; p < 0.01).