New Study: UBC Rapid can reduce the number of cystoscopies necessary in bladder cancer patients, enabling cost-effective follow-up
A recent study investigated the use of urine-based biomarkers, including UBC Rapid, to monitor high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer patients. The purpose of the study was to discover new applications for these biomarkers in order to safely reduce the frequency of invasive cystoscopies, saving money and easing the strain on the healthcare system and patients.
Natalya Benderska-Söder, Thorsten Ecke, et al. conducted a retrospective simulated study in which they compared the recommended follow-up for patients previously diagnosed with high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer to five alternative techniques incorporating multiple biomarkers.
The current strategy for follow-up of these patients consists of four visits in the first year. In these patients estimated sensitivity was 91.7% with an average of 25.9 cystoscopies performed to detect a recurring tumor. However, in this new study including UBC Rapid, annual sensitivity increased to 95.7% and 93.7%. Furthermore, when compared to current procedures, the average number of cystoscopies necessary to detect a reoccurring tumor was reduced by 39.2% and 73.5%.
The study demonstrates that changing the follow-up strategy to include UBC Rapid can safely reduce the number of cystoscopies required for the patient. However, further randomized controlled trials are required to validate these encouraging results. UBC Rapid was evaluated using data from 1877 patients and earlier research conducted by Professor Thorsten Ecke.
"In recent years, there has been a notable increase in the acceptance of biomarkers, especially among leading authorities such as the EAU. Benderska-Söder's publication takes a bold stride by questioning the current guidelines, which unfortunately do not include the use of biomarkers. Simultaneously, there is a pressing need to alleviate the burden on healthcare systems, and this publication highlights that our product, UBC Rapid, can meet this demand with exceptional performance,” says Marie Torstensson, CMO at AroCell.
Link to the article:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1078143924000413