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Background: Technical advancement and availability of high-throughput analysis has advanced molecular subtyping of most cancers. Thus, new possibilities for precision oncology have emerged., Aim: Therefore, we aimed to collect data regarding availability and use of next generation sequencing (NGS) for urothelial cancer within the uropathology working group of the German Society of Pathology., Methods: We collected data by questionnaires and additionally asked for sequencing results of bladder cancers in the participating institutions., Results: A total of 13 university-affiliated institutes of pathology took part in the survey. All university institutes offer NGS-based molecular panel diagnostics and provide panels covering between 15 and 170 genes. Altogether, only 20 bladder cancers were sequenced in routine diagnostics and for 10 cancers potential targeted treatment options were available., Discussion: So far, despite availability of NGS diagnostics at university institutes of pathology, only few bladder cancer samples have been sequenced. Based on current data from the molecular subtyping of bladder cancers, we recommend a step-by-step protocol with basic immunohistochemistry analysis and subsequent subtype-dependent analyses, e.g., alterations of the fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR) or comprehensive gene panel analyses.

The approval of new therapeutic procedures for the three main malignancies of the urogenital tract in recent years has generated a need for personalization of urooncology. As a consequence the diagnostic procedures are no longer limited to histology and immunohistochemistry but also include the analysis of genetic alterations (mutations and chromosomal aberrations).

The German Bladder Cancer Association (DFBK) invited its members to the 3rd annual meeting 2012 in Hannover 4 years after the official founding. The meeting was directed to discuss the progress of ongoing and newly initiated projects and collaborations. In this article we will introduce current research activities and collaborations of the DFBK and would like to invite interested researchers to join this national interdisciplinary research association. The aim of the DFBK is to initiate interdisciplinary collaboration and to support scientific discussions among its members. For further information please visit our website at www.forschungsverbund-blasenkarzinom.de.

Bladder cancer may be caused by external factors like tobacco smoking, but may also be familial. We report on a father and son who developed this tumour at the ages of 45 and 35. Testing various genetic markers including the mismatch repair proteins MLH1, MSH2 and MSH6, whose loss is associated with a higher risk for hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC, Lynch syndrome), did not point to a familial disease. Thus the heavy smoking habits of the two patients must be considered as causal.

EMMPRIN (CD147) is a cell surface protein that is highly expressed on tumor cells. Elevated EMMPRIN levels have been detected in a variety of malignant tumors and have been associated with tumor progression in experimental and clinical conditions. Recent studies have shown that EMMPRIN is an independent prognostic factor for overall survival in bladder cancer patients. In a multicenter phase II trial, antibodies against EMMPRIN were shown to be successful in hepatocellular cancer therapy. We are characterizing the functional importance of EMMPRIN in bladder cancer in order to evaluate this protein as a new target molecule for therapy.