Abstract
The role of soluble human epidermal growth factor receptor (sHER3) in bladder cancer remains unclear. In the present study, an ELISA was developed for the quantification of sHER3 and its role was investigated in patients with bladder cancer (n=82) followed for 10 years. Furthermore, the effects of sHER3 on bladder cancer cell growth and migration were also investigated. The results demonstrated that plasma sHER3 levels were significantly higher in non-invasive tumours (Ta) compared with muscle-invasive tumours (T2-T4). Higher sHER3 levels were associated with a more improved survival rate. However multivariate Cox regression analysis, adjusted for clinical stage, grade, type and size of the tumour, demonstrated that sHER3 was not an independent biomarker of survival. Exogenous sHER3 significantly inhibited bladder cancer cell growth and migration. These results suggest that high sHER3 levels are associated with improved survival rates in patients with bladder cancer, and that sHER3 inhibits bladder cancer cell growth and migration.