UP-II gene-expression was detected in the peripheral blood from all three patients with metastatic TCC but not from the nine patients with non-metastatic TCC nor the three healthy volunteers.
Immunohistochemical staining using rabbit antisera against a synthetic peptide of UP-II and against total UPs showed UP reactivity in 39.5% (17 of 43 cases) of conventional TCCs, 12.8% (5 of 39) of bilharzial-related TCCs, and 2.7% (1 of 36) of bilharzial-related squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs).