Some molecular-genetic markers defining the pathogenesis of superficial and invasive bladder cancer

We investigated deletions of 3p14, 9p21, 9q34, 17p13 (TP53) loci, activating FGFR3 mutations in exon 9, and aberrant methylation of RASSF1, RARβ, P16, P14, CDH1 genes with the aim of analyzing the pathways of the molecular pathogenesis of bladder cancer. FGFR3 activating mutations and 9p21 deletions were observed significantly more frequently in the group of noninvasive bladder cancer pTa than in minimally invasive cancers pT1 (p = 0.004 and 0.006, respectively). It was shown that groups of superficial and invasive bladder cancer differ significantly in the frequency of 17p13 (p = 0.006) and 9q34 (p = 0.04) deletions and in aberrant methylation of the gene P16 (p = 0.02). We revealed some molecular-genetic alterations in groups of superficial and invasive bladder cancers. Therefore, we propose that these two types of bladder cancer might have different pathways of development.