CYTOGENETIC AND MOLECULAR ALTERATIONS IND ICATIVE OF ETIOLOGY AND PROGNOSIS IN HUMAN BLADDER-CANCER

Cytogenetic and molecular alterations indicative of etiology and progn osis in human bladder cancer: Several studies on bladder tumors have i dentified numeric and structural aberrations on chromosomes 1, 5, 7, 8 , 9, 11, 13 and 17. Some of the reputed crucial events in the tumorige nic process cannot be analyzed cytogenetically and afford molecular ap proaches. Activation of proto-oncogenes such as c-erbB-1, c-erbB-2, cH a-ras, src, inst-2, hst1 and Bcl-1,-2 and alteration of tumor suppress or genes p53 and Rb are required for tumor development. We present an evaluation of these parameters in terms of etiology, clinical and path ological findings and prognosis. Evaluation of genetic parameters such as p53, EGFR- and c-erbs-2 expression may enhance the prognosis in pa tients with transitional cell carcinoma and provide further informatio n about the necessity for additional therapeutic procedures.