High levels of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-α) mRNA may predict local relapses in early stage urinary bladder cancer

Elevated expression of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-α) gene has been previously reported in some types of human neoplasms, but its role in the pathogenesis of bladder cancer has still not been investigated. In the present study, we analysed 28 samples of early stage bladder tumours for the presence of TGF-α mRNA using reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). We detected TGF-α mRNA in 71% (20/28) of these samples. When we related the expression levels of TGF-α with local relapses of patients during a follow-up of 2 years, we found that a high TGF-α expression level in bladder cancer was significantly associated with local relapses in patients with early stage tumours. The appearance of early relapses in tumours with high TGF-α expression levels may suggest the existence of an additional marker in the prediction of local relapses in patients with superficial disease.