The role of methylation in urological tumours.

Alterations in DNA methylation have been described in human cancer for more than thirty years now. Since the last decade DNA methylation gets more and more important in cancer research. In this review the different alterations of DNA methylation are discussed in testicular germ cell tumours, Wilms'tumours, renal cell carcinomas, urothelial cell carcinomas of the bladder and adenocarcinomas of the prostate. Eventually, the potential use in diagnostics, prognostics and therapy are discussed.