Analysis of genetic alterations in normal bladder urothelium.

Objectives: To determine whether normal mucosa had already acquired genetic changes, we analyzed the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and chromosomal changes in normal urothelium from patients with bladder cancer and those without any history of bladder cancer.

Methods: Sixteen patients with bladder cancer and 15 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia were included in this study. Tumor tissue, as well as macroscopically normal mucosa, was examined histopathologically.

P53 mutations as an identification marker for the clonal origin of bladder tumors and its recurrences.

The clonality of synchronous and metachronous bladder tumors has been studied for years with controversial results. Some recent studies support the 'polyclonal origin' hypothesis, i.e.

Molecular genetic evaluation of fluorescence diagnosis in bladder cancer.

Fluorescence diagnosis of superficial bladder cancer using 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is a highly sensitive technique (95%). However, the specificity is only 60-70% due to false-positive results after histopathological examination. We hypothesized that the biopsies in fluorescence endoscopy could represent early preneoplastic lesions not detectable by histopathology.

Microsatellite analysis of free tumor DNA in urine, serum, and plasma of patients: a minimally invasive method for the detection of bladder cancer.

Purpose: Tumor cells may release DNA into circulation, which is subsequently carried as free DNA and enriched in blood and urine. The detection of tumors by microsatellite analysis of free DNA offers a possibility to establish a minimally invasive method for the detection of bladder cancer.

Experimental Design: We performed microsatellite analysis of free DNA of urine, serum, and plasma in comparison with DNA of lymphocytes and tumors of 40 patients with conspicuous bladder lesions.

TP53 alterations as a potential diagnostic marker in superficial bladder carcinoma and in patients serum, plasma and urine samples.

Molecular markers are needed for better distinguishing of non-invasive papillary (pTa) and minimally invasive (pT1) bladder carcinomas and for identifying individual tumors with a high risk of recurrence or disease progression. First aim of our study was to evaluate TP53 microsatellite and mutation analysis as an effective concept for the characterization of superficial bladder tumors with different biological aggressiveness. Mutation screening in the TP53 hot spot region was performed in 55 microdissected superficial bladder tumor samples by direct genomic sequencing.