Methods and biomarkers for detection of bladder cancer

A method for predicting a predisposition to bladder cancer in a subject, diagnosing a bladder cancer in a subject, predicting the likelihood of recurrence of bladder cancer in a subject, providing a prognosis for a subject with bladder cancer, or selecting a subject with bladder cancer for treatment with a particular therapy, comprising:

• a) contacting a biological sample from a subject with a reagent for detecting the methylation status of a nucleic acid segment corresponding to the VIM locus;
• and
• b) detecting the methylation status of said nucleic acid segment corresponding to the VIM locus using an in vitro assay,
• wherein an increased degree of methylation of said nucleic acid segment corresponding to the VIM locus in said sample relative to a reference methylation status provides an indication selected from the group consisting of an indication of a predisposition of the subject to bladder cancer, an indication that the subject has bladder cancer, an indication of the likelihood of recurrence of bladder cancer in the subject, an indication of survival of the subject, and an indication that the subject is a candidate for treatment with a particular therapy.