The molecular characteristics of bladder cancer in young patients.
OBJECTIVE
The molecular characteristics of bladder cancer in children and young adults remain largely undefined. We sought to identify common molecular changes in bladder tumors in young patients using standard immunohistochemical and interphase cytogenetic methods.


METHODS
We retrospectively evaluated 73 bladder tumors removed from patients younger than 30 years for the p53 tumor suppressor gene product using immunohistochemical techniques and numerical aberrations of chromosomes 9, 17, X and Y.


RESULTS
Regardless of stage, immunohistochemical evidence of p53 gene product over expression was found in the majority of tumors studied. Numerical aberrations (monosomy) of chromosome 9 were rare. Aneuploidy of chromosome 17 was common, particularly in carcinoma in situ and invasive bladder cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that immunohistochemical evidence of p53 gene product over expression is common in bladder cancer in young patients. Further prospective analysis of lesions in this population may help to establish a comprehensive molecular progression model for urothelial neoplasms.
Linn
J F
JF
James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute and Department of Urology, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Sesterhenn
I
I
Mostofi
F K
FK
Schoenberg
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D002886:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 17; D002899:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 9; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53