Pharmaceutical company Abbott just announced this week that they have signed an exclusive licensing agreement with the Institut Curie for a biomarker for bladder cancer!. Genetic mutations in FGFR3 can be used for early detection, disease monitoring, & predicting patient outcomes in both urine & tissue-based testing. FGFR3 gene mutations are seen in about 70% of low-grade & 15 to 20% of high-grade bladder cancer cases. Susan Jewell, associate director of scientific affairs at Abbott Molecular Diagnostics submits, "By offering TWO tests-UroVysion, the company's FISH-based bladder cancer kit, & an assay based on FGFR3mutations-Abbott is poised to help doctors diagnose a larger number of bladder cancer patients earlier, when treatment is most successful". MOST patients with clinically localized bladder cancer can be treated successfully with surgery & chemotherapy, & 9 in 10 patients with stage 1 bladder cancer live 5 years or longer. Abbott says that the FGFR3 mutation analysis assay will be made available early this year. I was most fortunate to undergo "The Fish" a few years back & have always believed that because of my physicians AND the FISH that I'm a bladder cancer survivor today.

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