Differences in Urinary Amino Acid Patterns in Individuals with Different Types of Urological Tumor Urinary Amino Acid Patterns as Markers of Urological Tumors

Abstract

Background: Insufficient specificity and invasiveness of currently used diagnostic methods raises the need for new markers of urological tumors. The aim of this study was to find a link between the urinary excretion of amino acids and the presence of urological tumors. Materials and Methods: Using ion-exchange chromatography, we tested urine samples of patients with prostate cancer (n = 30), urinary bladder cancer (n = 28), renal cell carcinoma (n = 16) and healthy volunteers (control group; n = 21). Results: In each category, we found a group of amino acids which differed in concentration compared to the control group. These differences were most significant in sarcosine in patients with prostate cancer; leucine, phenylalanine and arginine in those with bladder cancer; and sarcosine, glutamic acid, glycine, tyrosine and arginine in the those with renal cell carcinoma. Conclusion: Results of our research imply a possible connection between the occurrence of specific types of amino acids in the urine and the presence of urological tumors.Background: Insufficient specificity and invasiveness of currently used diagnostic methods raises the need for new markers of urological tumors. The aim of this study was to find a link between the urinary excretion of amino acids and the presence of urological tumors. Materials and Methods: Using ion-exchange chromatography, we tested urine samples of patients with prostate cancer (n = 30), urinary bladder cancer (n = 28), renal cell carcinoma (n = 16) and healthy volunteers (control group; n = 21). Results: In each category, we found a group of amino acids which differed in concentration compared to the control group. These differences were most significant in sarcosine in patients with prostate cancer; leucine, phenylalanine and arginine in those with bladder cancer; and sarcosine, glutamic acid, glycine, tyrosine and arginine in the those with renal cell carcinoma. Conclusion: Results of our research imply a possible connection between the occurrence of specific types of amino acids in the urine and the presence of urological tumors.