The prognostic meaning of marker chromosomes in human urinary bladder carcinoma

In summary, only a chromosome analysis of directly extracted tumour tissue seems to be of prognostic value, because this allows one to exclude alterations that are conditioned by cultures. The number of chromosomes does not give an indication of the malignancy and invasiveness of the tumour. The presence of marker chromosomes in superficial bladder carcinoma seems to worsen the prognosis of those patients significantly. Further observation of the previously investigated patients and new studies are aimed at determining whether the reported tendency proves to be valid. If the presence of marker chromosomes really enables us to predict an unfavourable prognosis, a timely cystectomy, i.e. cystectomy in the preinvasive stage, should decisively ameliorate the poor prognosis of these patients.