Early Diagnosis of Urological Cancer

According to the statistical report by the World Health Organization (WHO) around 6,00,000 people were diagnosed with bladder cancer, with almost 2,20,000 people who lost their lives battling the cancer of the bladder around the globe. These cancers are categorized under urological cancers. Among the urological cancers, bladder cancer is the most difficult to diagnose, and expensive to treat too.

Urological cancers involve several diseases that affect the urinary pathways as well as reproductive organs in the male and female reproductive systems such as the kidneys, the ureters, the bladder, the urethra, and reproductive organs of the male such as the prostate gland. These cancers often have symptoms that resemble many other diseases, so people often delay their visits to the doctor.

Since time determines the stage at which the disease is detected; it is very important to detect urological cancers at an early stage. Urological cancers can usually be treated and the diseases eradicated provided they are diagnosed at an early stage. If the diagnosis of the condition is made and treatment offered, it means that the condition may progress and may lead to a poor prognosis and a poor chance of long-term survival.
In addition, early diagnosis also leads to minimally invasive treatments that can enhance the patients’ experience. Examples of such cancers are prostate, kidney, bladder, and testicular cancers.

There are various symptoms of urological cancer and they vary depending on the type of cancer and where it is located. Some common warning signs of urological cancer include:

• Blood in urine (hematuria)
• Abdominal pain for more than 24 hours or severe pain in the lower abdomen or back
• Phimosis, difficulty in initiating urine flow, more than eight times urine passing through the urinary system
• Burning sensation during and after urination persists for most of the time
• Either the problem of inability to control the passage of urine or the problem of inability to completely empty the bladder
• Sexual problems that are associated with painful ejaculation and erectile dysfunction
• Testicular pain or area of the testicle that feels different from the rest of the testicle
• Unexplained weight loss
• Persistent fatigue

People ought to see the best urologist in Noida if they have these symptoms or notice some changes in their body, whenever the symptoms are continuous or unmanageable. Early detection of the following symptoms often also results in early detection of urological cancer through check-ups and or screening tests.

List of Diagnostic Tools and Procedures

After a best uro oncologist in Noida observes a patient and talks to the patient about their symptoms and past medical history, the urologist may run several tests and procedures to determine if the patient has urological cancer, what stage the cancer is in, and what type of cancer it is. These tests include:

• Blood tests: Some changes in the level of proteins or other substances in the blood may also point to a urological cancer.
• Urine tests: Blood and, the presence of cancerous or other abnormal cells in the urine can be identified by urine tests for urological cancer.
• Imaging studies: Diagnostic imaging includes ultrasound, Computerized Tomography (CT) scan, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan in which the internal organs and tissues and tumors, masses, or abnormalities are seen.
• Biopsy: A biopsy entails the removal of a small sample of tissue or cells, from the tumor site, to look for cancer cells and establish the type of cancer present.
• Endoscopy: Endoscopy is a minor procedure where a thin, fiber-optic tube is inserted through the urethra to view the interior of the bladder and urinary system.
• Prostate Biopsy: If the doctor suspects cancer in the prostate, he might advise a prostate biopsy, where the doctor removes tissue from the prostate gland for more testing.
• Bone scans: A bone scan may also be done to see if the cancer has spread to the bones.

Treatment Options

The management of urological cancer involves the specifics of the site of the tumor, its aggressiveness, the general health status of the patient, and his or her preferences. Common treatment options include:

• Surgery: In some cases, the doctor may advise surgery where the cancerous tissue or the whole affected organ and or the involved lymph nodes are removed.
• Radiation therapy: Large amounts of radiation that have energy capable of penetrating the human body are employed to attack cancerous cells.
• Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy involves the use of chemicals to eliminate cancer cells within the body, and can be in the form of pills or injections.
• Immunotherapy: It uses the immune system of the body to combat cancer cells usually through immunotherapy.
• Targeted therapy: Targeted therapy medicines work on cancer cells only, and they have very little impact on normal cells.
• Hormone therapy: Hormone therapy may be used for treating prostate cancer by reducing the level of hormones that promote the growth of cancerous cells.

Urological cancer has a high prevalence rate and patients need to be diagnosed early to increase their chances of survival. This view aims to assure the patients of the awareness of early signs, the importance of conducting health check-ups and going through an appropriate diagnostic evaluation in managing urological cancers. Do not forget that early diagnosis is the key to eliminating diseases and to know more about the diagnostic care and treatment of urological cancers book an appointment with Dr. Vipin Tyagi today.