Thymidylate synthase was associated with patient prognosis and the response to adjuvant therapy in bladder cancer.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression of thymidylate synthase (TS), a key enzyme in DNA synthesis that is over-expressed in several cancer cells, in bladder cancer and its association with patient prognosis and the response to adjuvant therapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In all, 67 bladder tissue specimens were obtained from patients who had undergone transurethral resection (TUR). TS expression in bladder cancer and normal bladder tissue was analysed by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

Of the 67 bladder tissue specimens, 47 (70%) and 10 (15%) had positive expression for TS in cancer and normal tissues, respectively. TS expression was greater in patients with Grade 3 (16/17, 94%) than in Grade 1 and 2 (31/50, 64%; P = 0.002). It was also greater in Stage T1 (14/14) than in Stage Ta (33/53, 62%; P = 0.001). Furthermore, patients with negative TS expression had a longer postoperative recurrence-free survival (RFS) than those with positive expression during the 5 year follow-up (P = 0.028). In the patients with positive TS-expressing tumours, adjuvant therapy significantly improved RFS (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

High TS expression might be a marker of poor prognosis for patients with bladder cancer. In addition, patients with high TS expression might also be benefit from adjuvant therapy.