Patent ID: 8124331

Claim:
An in vitro diagnostic method for use with an individual having or suspected of having bladder transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), said diagnostic method being used to detect the presence of bladder TCC in said individual, to determine the stage or severity of bladder TCC in said individual, or to monitor the effect of the therapy administered to said individual, said diagnostic method comprising: a) detecting and quantifying an amount of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) protein in a sample of the individual, wherein the sample is a bladder tissue or urine, and b) comparing the amount of FGFR3 protein detected in said sample of the individual, with a first reference value from a subject without bladder transitional cell carcinoma, and c) comparing the detected amount of FGFR3 protein with a second reference value from a subject with advanced T2 bladder transitional cell carcinoma; wherein: increased levels of FGFR3 protein, relative to said first reference value, are indicative of bladder TCC, and increased levels of FGFR3 protein, relative to said second reference value, are indicative of bladder TCC at a stage which is less advanced than T2 bladder TCC.