Diagnostic Accuracy of Liquid-Based Biomarkers for Detecting and Risk Stratifying Upper Tract Urothelial Cancers: A Diagnostic Test Systematic Review by the EAU Guidelines UTUC Panel.
Blood and urine tests show promise for diagnosing upper urinary tract cancer, though larger studies are still needed before clinical use.
This EAU Guidelines-commissioned systematic review of 32 studies evaluated liquid-based biomarkers for upper tract urothelial carcinoma diagnosis and risk stratification, finding RNA panels, DNA methylation assays, and ctDNA show favorable accuracy profiles. Evidence certainty remains low (few prospective studies); large biomarker-driven interventional trials are required before clinical integration.
What the study was
- Study design
- Systematic Review (Diagnostic Test Accuracy)
- Population
- Patients with suspected or confirmed upper tract urothelial carcinoma
- Category
- Diagnostics
- Maturity
- Exploratory
- Journal
- European Urology Oncology
Why it surfaced
EAU-endorsed systematic review of 32 studies with quantified diagnostic accuracy for UTUC liquid biomarkers. High relevance for early cancer detection; STANDARD rather than HIGH because evidence certainty is explicitly LOW and large prospective trials are still needed.
A plain-language summary of published research — not medical advice. Talk to a clinician about your own care.