Biochemistry of human bladder tumor invasion

Bladder tumors comprise a spectrum of neoplastic diathesis. Some behave in a benign fashion, and others are highly aggressive and lead rapidly to metastatic disease and death. The metastasizing potential, often described as a sequence of interrelated steps, involve 1) tumor cell adhesion to basement membranes, 2) degradation of basement membranes and underlying connective tissue stroma, and 3) migration of tumor cells through the destroyed stroma into blood and lymphatic vessels. Each of these processes involves the expression of molecular and biochemical factors identified with tumor cells. With better understanding of the molecular basis of these factors, novel prognostic and potential therapeutic agents can be generated and applied to the clinical arena.