Prognostic value of serum nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase in patients with bladder cancer

AIM To analyze the serum nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (Nampt) level and its prognostic value in bladder cancer (BC). METHODS The study included 131 patients with transitional cell BC and 109 healthy controls from the West China Hospital of Sichuan University in the period between 2007 and 2013. Nampt concentration in serum was measured by commercial ELISA kits for human Nampt. RESULTS The serum Nampt protein level in patients with BC (mean ± standard deviation, 16.02 ± 7.95 ng/mL) was significantly higher than in the control group (6.46 ± 2.08 ng/mL) (P < 0.001). Serum Nampt level was an independent prognostic marker of non-muscle-invasive BC, with a higher serum Nampt level (>14.74 ng/mL) indicating shorter recurrence-free survival rate (hazard ratio=2.85, 95% confidence interval, 1.01-8.06; P=0.048). CONCLUSION Our results suggest that serum Nampt level may serve as a biomarker of BC and an independent prognostic marker of non-muscle-invasive BC.