Differences Observed in Urinary Microbiota Among Patients With Bladder Cancer

Massimo Lazzari, MD, Humanitas Clinical Research Hospital, discusses findings from an analysis of the urinary microbiota in patients with bladder cancer.

Eleven patients were evaluated as age-matched controls and about 50 patients with bladder cancer, Lazzari says. Initially, investigators tried to identify a difference between normal patients and patients with bladder cancer, which led to the discovery ofheterogeneityin the urinary microbiota.

Investigators found various species, such as Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria, Lazzari says. They also found a decrease in a specific species, like Ruminococcus which is a very important bacteria for anti-inflammatory activity. A decrease of Ruminoccoccus of bowel inflammation was observed, and the same was found in the bladder.

Finally, Lazzari noted that there was a correlation between the stage of bladder cancer with Sphingobacteriaceae. For example, there was an increase in Corynebacterium in higher grade, higher stage bladder cancer.

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