PARAMETERS OF TUMOR PROGRESSION AND METASTASES IN BLADDER CARCINOMAS

Histopathological parameters are insufficient predictors for the indiv idual course of disease in bladder cancer patients. In the past decade , however, other criteria have been developed as a possible prognostic aid to a better disease management, such as expression of specific ce ll surface antigens, DNA content? chromosomal aberrations, cell prolif eration, tumor cell-associated antigens, angiogenesis, gene rearrangem ents, and point mutations. Since most tumors of the bladder are carcin omas and are associated with dedifferentiation and high metastatic cap ability, we investigated whether reduced expression of so-called diffe rentiation factors in combination with increased cell motility might b e correlated with tumor progression.