Subsequential telomerase activity in exfoliated urinary cells detects recurrent disease in bladder cancer after transurethral resection.

We assessed urinary telomerase activity in bladder cancer patients to provide additional information for monitoring after transurethral resection (TUR). Urinary telomerase activity was detected in 22/26 (84.6%) patients with known bladder tumor before TUR. Ten of 11 patients who were available for sequential follow-up examination had urinary telomerase activity before TUR. In 4 of the 10 patients, urinary telomerase activity disappeared following TUR with or without adjuvant intravesical therapy. Three of the remaining 6 patients had recurrent bladder tumors within three months after TUR. Urinary telomerase activity analysis from patients after TUR provides important information on microscopic recurrent bladder cancer.