A report from Johns Hopkins Medical School describes how a new urine test can help in diagnosing bladder cancer, detecting recurrent bladder cancer, and even predicting more aggressive tumors.

The test finds mutations in a gene called telomerase reverse transcriptase (TER). The findings can serve as a biomarker for bladder cancer. The Johns Hopkins researchers say its most valuable use may be in predicting whether a bladder cancer is indolent or aggressive. If the former, invasive treatment may not be needed, but if the latter, then the risk/benefit analysis changes and invasive treatment may be warranted.

Biomarkers, similar to the one for bladder cancer, are becoming an increasingly valuable tool for detecting early stage cancers and helping to develop appropriate treatments. A biomarker refers to a substance or process, such as a molecule secreted by a tumor or a specific response of the body to the presence of cancer, that is a predictor of cancer in the body.

A biomarker may be genetic or a change in a body fluid, such as blood or urine. A well-known biomarker for prostate cancer is an increasing level of PSA in a man’s blood. Other markers currently being used in diagnosing cancers include alpha-fetoprotein for liver cancer, BRCA-2 for breast cancer, CA-125 for ovarian cancer, and S-100 for melanoma.

This is rapidly growing area of research at oncology centers and there is hope that, in the future, most cancers can be detected at a very early change by simply testing body fluids or discovering the unique genetic factors that will predict certain cancers.