Next-generation sequencing of urine specimens: A novel platform for genomic analysis in patients with non-muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma treated with bacille Calmette-Guérin.

Background: Biopsies from patients with high-risk (HR) non-muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma (NMIUC), especially flat urothelial carcinoma in situ, frequently contain scant diagnostic material or denuded mucosa only, and this precludes further extensive genomic analysis. This study evaluated the use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis of urine cytology material from patients with HR NMIUC in an attempt to identify genetic alterations that might correlate with clinical features and responses to bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) treatment.

Methods: Forty-one cytology slides from patients with HR NMIUC treated with intravesical BCG were selected for this study.