Urologic oncology
What is urologic cancer
Urologic cancer encompasses various tumors or neoplasms resulting from abnormal or uncontrolled cell growth in the urinary system. This group also includes some tumors arising in male reproductive organs.
Cancer types
The most important urologic cancers include:
- Prostate cancer: This is the most frequent tumor in men and one of the main causes of cancer-related deaths in this country and in the world. Early detection is possible by means of blood tests and medical assessment.
- Renal cancer: It can be an incidental finding on imaging studies requested for a different reason. It usually does not produce symptoms in the initial stages.
- Bladder or urinary tract cancer: It may produce early symptoms, mainly blood in the urine. There is a significant association with the use of tobacco. A significant proportion is localized at the time of diagnosis.
- Testicular cancer: It accounts for 4-5% of all tumors, but it is among the most common in young men. The probability of cure is high, even in advanced stages.
Symptoms of urologic cancer vary in different individuals. Some people have no signs and, in those cases, early detection is more difficult.
Alarm signals include the following:
- Difficulty starting or finishing urination.
- Weak urine stream .
- Dribbling.
- Painful or burning sensation when passing urine.
- Small volume and frequent urination, especially at night.
- Painful ejaculation.
- Blood in the urine.
- Inability to pass urine.
- Continuous pain in the lower part of the back, the pelvis or upper thighs.
How is diagnosis made?
It begins with the suspicion, which can be verified by means of:
- Urinalysis: A urinalysis is performed in order to determine the presence of cancer cells.
- Cystoscopy: Medical exam to check for the presence of cancerous cells in the urethra and the bladder.
- Imaging finding: Using CT scan, magnetic resonance or ultrasound in order to visualize the entire urinary system and look for signs of cancer.
- Biopsy: Upon the finding of any signs or symptoms of cancer, biopsy is performed in order to study the tissue under the microscope.
- Tumor markers: Prostate specific antigen (PSA) is one of these markers assessed in a blood sample.
Cancer is treated in different ways depending on the type of cancer and whether it has spread or not. Treatment options include:
- Surgery
Surgery is used in the majority of patients with urologic cancer as part of the treatment. The type of surgical procedure will depend on the intention to treat and the clinical and/or pathological stage of the disease. It is also important to mention that a combination of different surgical procedures can be used.
- Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is the use of drugs to stimulate the patient’s immune system so that it can recognize and destroy cancer cells more effectively. This therapy can be used to treat some types of urologic cancer.
- Chemotherapy
The aim is to shrink or eliminate the tumor using drugs administered as tablets or by the intravenous route. Chemotherapy treatment is indicated in some cases, depending on the stage of the disease or the patient’s clinical condition.
- Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy uses high-energy beams (or particles) that destroy or reduce cancer cells. It can be used in combination with other treatments such as hormone therapy or chemotherapy.
Before the surgery: In order to shrink the tumor and facilitate the surgical procedure.
After the surgery: As a means to reduce the probability of the cancer reappearing in the same site or in the adjacent lymph nodes.
As an alternative to surgery when the tumor is confined to the organ or the site where it arises as, for example, in prostate cancer.
When cancer has spread to other parts of the body such as the bones or the brain, in order to improve symptoms like pain or neurologic deficit caused by the tumor in those sites.
- Hormone therapy
It is indicated in some cases where tumor growth depends on the stimulus of hormones created by the patient's own body. That is the case in prostate cancer, where testosterone produced by the body favors tumor growth. Hormone therapy seeks to block or stop that stimulus.