NEW RESEARCH highlights distinct metabolic changes in patients with bladder cancer, offering potential pathways for improved diagnosis and monitoring of disease recurrence.
Bladder cancer, characterised by abnormal cell growth in the bladder lining, remains incompletely understood at the molecular level. In this study, researchers analysed urinary metabolites to identify biochemical differences between patients with bladder cancer and healthy individuals, as well as between those with and without tumour recurrence.
A total of 102 participants were included, comprising 82 patients with bladder cancer and 20 healthy controls. Among the cancer cohort, patients were further divided based on clinical findings into those with recurrence (29 individuals) and those without (41 individuals). Urinary metabolic profiling was performed using advanced mass spectrometry techniques, enabling detailed analysis of small-molecule changes associated with disease.
2-HETE and PGE2 Show Strong Accuracy for Bladder Cancer Detection
The findings revealed clear differences in metabolite levels between groups. Compared with healthy controls, patients with bladder cancer showed reduced levels of 11-hydroxyandrosterone and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), alongside increased levels of metabolites including (±)12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE), 5α-dihydrodeoxycorticosterone, and 21-hydroxypregnenolone. These alterations point to disruptions in steroid hormone pathways and arachidonic acid metabolism.
Importantly, 11-hydroxyandrosterone levels were even lower in patients with recurrent disease compared to those without recurrence, suggesting it may serve as a potential biomarker for disease progression. Meanwhile, 12-HETE and PGE2 demonstrated the strongest ability to distinguish between patients with bladder cancer and healthy individuals, based on their high diagnostic performance.
Urine-Based Biomarkers May Support Non-Invasive Diagnosis and Monitoring
Together, these findings suggest that metabolic profiling of urine could provide a non-invasive approach to identifying bladder cancer and predicting recurrence risk. The study also underscores the potential role of steroid hormone regulation and inflammatory pathways in driving tumour development and progression.
The authors note that further research is needed to validate these biomarkers in larger cohorts and to explore their clinical utility. However, the results offer promising insights into the molecular underpinnings of bladder cancer and may support the development of targeted diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies aimed at improving patient outcomes.
Reference
Saygin H et al. Metabolic profiling reveals insights into bladder cancer pathogenesis and recurrence. Adv Urol. 2026; doi: 10.1155/aiu/6524384
Featured image: Rabizo Anatolii on Adobe Stock
