US Patent 6936417 Gene expression in bladder tumors

Methods for analyzing tumor cells, particularly bladder tumor cells employ gene expression analysis of samples. Gene expression patterns are formed and compared to reference patterns. Alternatively gene expression patterns are manipulated to exclude genes which are expressed in contaminating cell populations. Another alternative employs subtraction of the expression of genes which are expressed in contaminating cell types. These methods provide improved accuracy as well as alternative basis for analysis from diagnostic and prognostic tools currently available.