Urological (Genitourinary) cancers

Cancers are found in the urinary and the male reproductive organs, which include kidneys, adrenal glands, Urinary bladder, prostate, testis, and penis. These are one of the most common tumors encountered in clinical practice, especially in the Indian subcontinent.

Risk factors of cancer development can be broadly divided into Biological factors- such as age, gender, inherited genetic defects, and family history of certain cancers. Lifestyle-related factors- consumption of tobacco products and alcohol, Obesity, and dietary factors. Environmental exposure- UV radiation and carbon particles. Occupational risk factors- many chemicals, radioactive materials, and asbestos. Infectious causes- Human Papilloma virus (HPV).

Early detection of cancer significantly increases the chances of successful treatment. Some signs of cancer include lumps/ swellings, sores that fail to heal, blood in the urine, unexplained loss of weight, and loss of appetite. However, for all practical purposes most of the cancers, genito-urinary cancers, in particular, are silent in the initial stages. These can only be detected with regular health screenings by means of lab tests or imaging.

With the advent of recent technologies in medical care, cancer cure has become a possible entity for localized cancers. Locally advanced cancers can be treated with a combination of multiple treatment modalities. Cancers at very late stages are difficult to be cured; however, quality of life can be improved with palliative and supportive care.

Preserving the affected organ as much as possible at the same time completely removing the tumor is the primary objective in urological cancer care. In other words; our goal of treatment is not only to achieve good oncological outcomes but also a fair functional outcome. Intra-operative Ultrasound helps to delineate tumors and healthy kidney interface. This procedure is called a partial nephrectomy. Endoscopic resection of bladder tumors and partial penectomy for penile cancers .

Yes. Most Urological cancer procedures can be performed by minimal invasive Key hole techniques, (i.e laparoscopy and Robotic surgeries) which can limit the size of incisions needed and so less blood loss, lessen wound healing time, associated pain, and risk of infection. Eventually, this helps in early and comfortable post-operative recovery.

Robotic surgeries revolutionized urological cancer care over the past decade. Surgical robot featuring endo-wrist technology and 3-D vision enables surgeons to perform surgical dissection with great precision. The advantages are minimal blood loss and fewer chances of injuring surrounding organs. A clear-cut benefit is seen for prostate cancer surgeries where nerve preservation is possible to preserve urinary continence as well as potency. Earlier the better the final take-home message. This enables urologists to perform Minimally invasive, organ-preserving surgeries with curative intent.