Urinary proteomics: ready for prime time in urological cancer diagnostics?

Abstract

The impact of clinical proteomics on the diagnosis and treatment of urological malignancies is modest in comparison with the high expectations of the past. However, most available studies suffer from flawed clinical designs rather than from technical limitations. This article will briefly introduce the main technological approaches taken, their advantages and disadvantages and will highlight the different challenges associated with urinary proteome analysis. Furthermore, several examples of the successful application of urinary clinical proteomics in the field of prostate and bladder cancer will be introduced. These examples suggest careful validation of novel biomarkers, appropriate study designs using blinded cohorts enrolled from appropriate target populations and the standardization of techniques as key elements required for successful urinary proteomics studies. These prerequisites are essential for turning the old promise of a personalized medicine approach into a new reality to optimize patients’ preventive and therapeutic care.