| abstract |
Early diagnosis of tumors is a major factor in determining the survival rate of patients suffering from tumors, including bladder tumors. BTM or members of the UBTM family can be highly or persistently accumulated in bladder tumor tissue and other tumor tissues, and/or can accumulate in patient urine, and are therefore useful as markers for bladder cancer and other types of cancer. In certain embodiments, BTM or UBTM can accumulate in urine, and detection of members of the UBTM family can be an effective diagnostic method. In some embodiments, quantitative PCR methods are preferred over microarray methods. In other embodiments, detection and quantification of multiple BTMs or UBTMs can increase the sensitivity and specificity of bladder cancer detection and thus provide methods for determining the stage and type of bladder cancer. The kit provides an easy and convenient way to practice the method of the invention. |