Urologic Cancer Diagnosis

What is bladder cancer?

Bladder cancer is a cancer that starts in the bladder. The bladder is the body part that holds and releases urine. It is in the center of the lower abdomen. In the United States, bladder cancer often starts from the cells lining the bladder. These cells are called transitional cells.

These tumors are classified by the way they grow:

• Papillary tumors look like warts and are attached to a stalk.
• Nonpapillary (sessile) tumors are flat. They are much less common. But they are more invasive and have a worse outcome.

The exact cause of bladder cancer is not known.

What is kidney cancer?

Renal cell carcinoma is a type of kidney cancer that starts in the lining of very small tubes (tubules) in the kidney.

Renal cell carcinoma is the most common type of kidney cancer in adults. It occurs most often in men 50 to 70 years old.

What is penile cancer?

Penile cancer is cancer that starts in the penis, an organ that makes up part of the male reproductive system.

Cancer of the penis is rare. Its exact cause is unknown. However, certain risk factors include:

• Uncircumcised men who don't keep the area under the foreskin clean. This leads to buildup of smegma, a cheese-like, foul-smelling substance under the foreskin.
• History of genital warts, or human papillomavirus (HPV)
• Smoking
• Injury to the penis

The cancer usually affects middle age and older men.

What is prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is a cancer that starts in the prostate gland. The prostate is a small, walnut-shaped structure that makes up part of a man's reproductive system. It wraps around the urethra, the tube that carries urine out of the body.

Prostate cancer is rarely found in men younger than 40 and less common in people who do not eat meat (vegetarians).

A common problem in almost all men as they grow older is an enlarged prostate. This is called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH. It does not raise your risk of prostate cancer. But, it can increase your prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test result.

What is testicular cancer?

Testicular cancer is any form of cancer that starts in the testicles. There are many types of cells in the testicles. Any of these kinds of cells can develop into cancer. Depending on which cell cancer starts to grow determines the type of testicular cancer.

Germ cell tumors are the main type, accounting for more than 90% of testicular cancer. These cells make sperm.

Stromal tumors start in the stroma, which is the testicles’ hormone-producing tissues. This form of testicular cancer is much more rare in adults than in children.

What is urethral cancer?

Urethral cancer is when cancer cells form in the urethra, which is the tube where urine travels through from the bladder. In men, the urethra also carries semen. There are a few types of cancer that can form in the urethra lining, including:

• Squamous cell carcinoma, which is most common
• Transitional cell carcinoma
• Adenocarcinoma