RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the value of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in the diagnosis of bladder cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Urine samples from 100 patients suspected of having bladder cancer were collected before cystoscopy for immediate urine cytology and FISH analysis. The criteria for FISH abnormality were determined by evaluating the urine specimens from 20 subjects without urogenital neoplasm.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The overall sensitivity of cytology and FISH was 43.2% and 82.4%, and their specificity was 92.3% and 88.5%, with diagnostic concordance rate of 56.0% and 84.0%, respectively. The differences between FISH and cytology showed statistical significance in the sensitivity, diagnostic concordance rate, non-muscle-invasive cancer and primary cancer.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The sensitivity and efficiency of FISH in the detection of bladder cancer are superior to those of cytology, especially for prophase cancer.</p>