Serum EZH2 is a novel biomarker for bladder cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

OBJECTIVE

The primary objective of this study was to examine the levels of serum EZH2 in patients diagnosed with bladder cancer, and subsequently evaluate its potential as a biomarker for both the diagnosis and prognosis of bladder cancer.

METHODS

Blood samples were obtained from 115 bladder cancer patients and 115 healthy persons. We measured the EZH2 concentrations in the serum of these subjects via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). To assess the diagnostic performance of serum EZH2 in detecting bladder cancer, we plotted receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and calculated their corresponding area under the curve (AUC). We also used the Cox regression model and log-rank test to investigate the correlation between EZH2 levels and clinicopathological characteristics, and survival rates of bladder cancer patients.

RESULTS

Serum EZH2 levels were significantly higher in bladder cancer patients when compared to those in healthy persons. Serum EZH2 levels exhibited a significant correlation with TNM stage, lymph node metastasis, muscle invasion, and tumor size. At a cutoff value of 8.23 ng/mL, EZH2 was able to differentiate bladder cancer patients from healthy persons, with an AUC of 0.87, a sensitivity of 81.31%, and a specificity of 78.42%. High EZH2 levels correlated with poor overall survival rates and progression-free survival rates of bladder cancer patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum EZH2 levels were elevated in bladder cancer patients, and patients with higher serum EZH2 levels exhibited a poorer prognosis. This indicates that serum EZH2 could be a novel biomarker for bladder cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Such findings could improve the prognosis of bladder cancer patients by facilitating early detection and continuous monitoring.