BIRC5 and neoplasm: The aim of the present study was to analyze the alterations in mRNA expression levels of selected genes associated with proliferation (MKI67), apoptosis (BCL2, BAX and BIRC5), the cell cycle (CCND1 and CCNE1), signal transduction (EGFR and VEGF) and tumor suppression (WWOX) in bladder tumor samples, and to identify any association between gene expression levels and clinicopathological factors, such as gender, grade or stage.