Urological Cancer

Urological Cancer Treatment at CritiCare Asia Hospitals, Kurla

Urological cancers are cancers of the urine passage and the male reproductive organs: the kidneys, bladder, prostate and testes, and, less often, the penis and urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the body). CritiCare Asia Hospitals, a cancer hospital in Mumbai, evaluates each of these cancers separately, because every one behaves differently and needs its own plan. Some are more common in older adults, while testicular cancer tends to affect younger men. Early signs can be mild or look like less serious problems, which is why urine changes that continue should be checked. For urological cancer treatment in Kurla, Mumbai, our team explains each step in simple words, along with costs, insurance, and cashless steps before treatment begins.

Recognising the Symptoms

Many urological cancers cause no symptoms in the early stage. The signs that doctors in uro-oncology (the branch dealing with cancers of the urinary system) watch for are:

Blood in the urine, often the first sign of bladder or kidney cancer, which should never be ignored even if it stops on its own
A lump or swelling in the testicle, with or without pain
Lasting pain in the lower back or the side, sometimes linked to the kidney
Changes in urination: passing urine more often, a sudden urge, or a weak stream
Weight loss without a reason, or tiredness, mainly in advanced disease
Pain while passing urine that does not clear with treatment for an infection

Types of Urological Cancer

Grouping these cancers is about the organ involved, not shared biology:

Kidney cancer
starts in kidney tissue and is often found by chance during scans done for another reason
Bladder cancer
starts in the bladder lining and is linked to smoking in many cases
Prostate cancer
one of the most common cancers in men, often slow-growing but sometimes aggressive
Testicular cancer
less common overall, but the most frequently diagnosed cancer in younger men
Penile cancer
rare, linked to specific risk factors that a specialist can assess
Urethral cancer
uncommon, affecting the tube that carries urine out of the body

Our urological cancer specialists in Kurla look at the type, position and stage before suggesting any plan.

Risk Factors to Be Aware Of

Risks differ by cancer type, but some appear again and again:

Smoking, strongly linked to bladder and kidney cancer
Age, since prostate and bladder cancer become more common later in life
Family history, especially for prostate and kidney cancer
Long-standing bladder irritation or infection, linked to some bladder cancers
Contact with certain industrial chemicals at work
An undescended testicle (one that did not move down into the sac), a known risk for testicular cancer

How Urological Cancer Is Diagnosed

Urine tests, including urine cytology (a check for abnormal cells)
Ultrasound, often the first scan for kidney or testicle concerns
CT or MRI scans, for detailed pictures and to see how far a tumour has spread (staging)
Cystoscopy: a thin scope to look inside the bladder when bladder cancer is suspected
PSA blood test (prostate-specific antigen), used with a clinical check for prostate cancer
Biopsy: a tiny tissue sample that confirms the diagnosis and shows how the cancer behaves

Treatment Approaches

A plan is made only after diagnosis and staging are complete, and it depends on the type and stage of cancer.

Urologic cancer surgery
from keyhole removal of a small tumour to larger operations, depending on the organ and stage
Radiation therapy
used as the main treatment or together with other treatments
Chemotherapy
medicines for certain types or more advanced disease
Hormone therapy
helpful in some prostate cancers
Active surveillance
regular monitoring instead of immediate treatment, for selected slow-growing cancers
Immunotherapy and targeted therapy
used in selected cases, depending on the tumour