Current Concepts in Biomarker Technology for Bladder Cancers‪.‬

Bladder Cancer More than 50 000 new cases of bladder cancer were diagnosed during 1999, and this disease was responsible for ~12 500 deaths in the United States (1). The incidence of bladder cancer increased by 36% between 1984 and 1993, and this tumor now represents the 4th most common malignancy in males and the 10th most common in females (2). Transitional cells are the origin of 90% of diagnosed bladder cancers. Approximately 75% of patients have a superficial ([T.sub.a], [T.sub.1]), 20% have an invasive (higher than [T.sub.1]), and 5% have a metastasized tumor at time of diagnosis (3). The recurrence rate of superficial disease is 60%, and tumor progression to a higher stage or grade develops in 42% of patients by 10 years (4).