Research progress of oncogene and tumor suppressor gene in bladder cancer

Bladder cancer is amongst the most common malignant tumor of the urinary tract system and has the worst outcomes. The factors related to the occurrence and progression of this urological cancer has received considerable research attention. The discovery of marker genes enhances the sensitivity and specificity of early diagnosis and treatment of bladder cancer. Furthermore, these genes can be used as targets for antitumor drugs. Biomarkers that prospectively evaluate disease aggressiveness, progression risk, probability of recurrence and overall prognosis could improve patient care. Integration of molecular markers with conventional pathologic staging of bladder cancers may refine clinical decision making for the selection of adjuvant and salvage therapy. In the past decade, numerous bladder cancer biomarkers have been identified, including various tumor suppressor genes, oncogenes, growth factors, growth factor receptors, hormone receptors, proliferation and apoptosis markers, cell adhesion molecules, stromal factors, and oncoproteins. Several studies on the biological characters and mechanism of the related proteins have provided a theoretical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of bladder cancer. In this review article, we summarized the status of the current studies in this field.