[The expression of urokinase-type plasminogen activator and its receptor in urinary transitional cell carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To probe into the expression and clinical significance of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and its receptor (uPAR) in urinary transitional cell carcinoma.

METHODS: Expression of uPA and uPAR were detected in 50 cases of renal pelvis and ureter carcinoma and 40 cases of bladder cancer immunohistochemically.

RESULTS: The positive rates of uPA and uPAR were closely correlated to the grade and the stage of urinary transitional cell carcinoma (r = 0.979, P < 0.01), whereas uPA and uPAR were not detected in normal kidney, ureter and bladder tissue.

CONCLUSION: uPA and uPAR are highly expressed in urinary transitional cell carcinoma and they may be responsible for the tumor invasion and metastasis.