Cytogenetic analysis of 62 transitional cell bladder carcinomas

Chromosome analysis of biopsy material obtained after vinblastine pretreatment was carried out in 108 specimens from 89 patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder. Analyzable metaphases were obtained in 62 tumors, but only in nine tumors could karyotypes be analyzed by banding; a conventional technique was used in all others. Ploidy and occurrence of markers corresponded with tumor morphology and invasion and sometimes aided in the clinical evaluation; chromosome anomalies specific for bladder cancer were not revealed. In noninvasive tumors of WHO grade 1 and 2, near-diploid karyotypes with occasional marker chromosomes dominated. Grade 3 tumors showed a variety of grossly aneuploid karyotypes, with an almost constant occurrence of different markers. Superficially invasive G2 tumors had moderately pronounced aberrations with more deviations than noninvasive tumors but without the great variety of G3 tumors.