We also observe, in the human bladder carcinoma cell line HTB-9, which demonstrates an extent of methylation similar to that observed in invasive tumors, that treatment with the methylation inhibitor 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine leads to increased expression of HOXB2, suggesting that methylation of this gene may be functionally leading to the inactivation of this gene. The gene discussed is HOXB2; the disease is urinary bladder carcinoma.