WhatsAppA Centre for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Urinary Tract and Male Genital System Cancers
The Academic Hospital Urological Oncology unit manages all cancers of the urinary tract and the male genital system with a multidisciplinary approach, from prostate cancer to bladder cancer and from kidney tumours to testicular cancer. Robot-assisted surgery, laparoscopic techniques and open surgical options are offered together in the unit, and joint decision-making mechanisms are run with medical oncology, radiation oncology and pathology. Early diagnosis programmes and tumour marker follow-up contribute to detecting the disease at its first stage.
Contents
What Is Urological Oncology?
Urological oncology is the urological subspecialty concerned with the diagnosis, surgical treatment and multidisciplinary management of malignant tumours developing in the urogenital organs such as the kidney, ureter, bladder, urethra, prostate, testis and penis. Urological oncologists working in this field collaborate with medical oncologists and radiation oncologists to create an individualised treatment plan for every patient.
Which Diseases and Conditions Are Treated?
- Prostate cancer: The most common cancer in men; it is diagnosed by a raised PSA level or by biopsy, and cure can be achieved at the localised stage
- Bladder cancer (urothelial carcinoma): A type of cancer assessed across a broad spectrum, from the superficial non-muscle-invasive form to the muscle-invasive form
- Kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma): Arising in the kidney; in small tumours the kidney can be preserved with partial nephrectomy
- Testicular cancer: Frequently seen in young men; a cancer in which a high cure rate is reached with chemotherapy and surgery
- Penile cancer: Rarely seen; organ-preserving surgery is possible at an early stage
- Upper urinary tract urothelial cancers: Tumours developing in the ureter and renal pelvis, treated by ureteroscopic or surgical means
- Adrenal (suprarenal gland) tumours: Functional or non-functional; they are removed with laparoscopic adrenalectomy
- Retroperitoneal tumours: Masses arising from the posterior abdominal wall; they require planning for surgical excision
When Should You Consult Us?
Consulting the Urological Oncology unit is recommended in the presence of any of the following findings or situations:
- A rise in the PSA (prostate specific antigen) level or an abnormal digital rectal examination finding
- Painless blood in the urine (haematuria); even a single episode must always be investigated
- A palpable mass in the kidney or the testis, or a suspicious lesion detected on ultrasonography
- A painless, firm swelling in the testis
- Unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite and flank pain occurring together
- Bone pain (it may be related to bone metastasis of prostate cancer)
- A raised level of the AFP or bHCG tumour markers
- A screening visit where there is a family history of urological cancer
Annual PSA screening and urological review are recommended for men from the age of 50 onwards.
Diagnostic Methods
| Method | What it provides |
|---|---|
| A blood test used in screening for prostate cancer; high values give rise to an indication for biopsy. | |
| An advanced imaging method that visualises suspicious prostate tissue and guides the biopsy; it makes it possible to avoid unnecessary biopsies. | |
| The procedure of taking a tissue sample that establishes the diagnosis of cancer; it is performed under ultrasonography or MRI fusion guidance. | |
| An endoscopic method that directly visualises the inner surface of the bladder; it is used in the initial diagnosis and follow-up of bladder cancer. | |
| Computed tomography that images the kidney, ureter and bladder with contrast medium; it determines the size and the stage of the tumour. | |
| Used in assessing local spread in prostate and bladder cancers. | |
| Nuclear medicine imaging that detects the spread of cancer cells in the body; it is applied in staging and in follow-up for recurrence. | |
| Blood tests used in the diagnosis and staging of testicular cancer and in monitoring the response to treatment. | |
| The fast and reliable imaging preferred in the initial assessment of testicular masses. |
Treatment Approaches
Treatment is planned at the multidisciplinary tumour board according to the type and stage of the tumour, the age of the patient and the presence of comorbidities.
| Method | How it is applied |
|---|---|
| An advanced surgical technique in which the prostate gland is removed in a minimally invasive way by means of a robotic system. With nerve-sparing approaches, an effort is made to preserve continence and erectile function. | |
| Removal of the bladder in muscle-invasive bladder cancer; urine flow is rearranged with a new bladder (neobladder) or with the ileal conduit method. | |
| Endoscopic removal of the tumour through the cystoscope in superficial bladder tumours; it is supported by intravesical BCG or chemotherapy. | |
| Removal of the whole kidney, or of a part of it together with the tumour, according to the size and location of the tumour in kidney tumours. | |
| Removal of the testis and the tumour by the inguinal route without opening the scrotal sac in testicular cancer; diagnosis and treatment take place at the same time. | |
| Clearance of the posterior abdominal lymph nodes for the purpose of staging testicular cancer and removing residual tumour masses. | |
| Removal of tumours of the suprarenal gland by a minimally invasive route. | |
| Joint treatment planning is carried out with medical oncology in cancers of the bladder (intravesical BCG, atezolizumab), the kidney (sunitinib, nivolumab) and the testis (BEP protocol). | |
| Follow-up with regular PSA measurement and biopsy, without a curative intervention, in low-risk localised prostate cancer; it prevents unnecessary treatment. |
Book an appointment with the Urological Oncology unit.
Book an AppointmentUrological Oncology at Academic Hospital
At the Academic Hospital Urological Oncology unit, the diagnosis, surgical treatment and follow-up of cancers of the urinary tract and the male genital system are carried out under one roof, and treatment decisions are taken at the multidisciplinary tumour board. The unit works routinely with the following departments:
- Urology: general assessment and first-line surgical management of urinary tract conditions
- Diagnosis and Treatment of Prostate Diseases: PSA assessment, prostate biopsy and distinguishing benign prostate conditions
- Medical Oncology: planning of chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted treatments
- Radiology: multiparametric MRI, CT urography and biopsy under imaging guidance
- Pathology: determination of tumour type, grade and stage in biopsy and surgical materials
- Urinary Incontinence and Bladder Health: assessment of continence after cancer surgery
- Andrology: follow-up of sexual function and reproductive health after treatment
Frequently Asked Questions
References
The general information given on this page about the diagnostic methods and treatment options for urological cancers is supported by the reliable health sources listed below.
- European Association of Urology, "EAU Guidelines on Prostate Cancer", uroweb.org
- European Association of Urology, "EAU Guidelines on Bladder Cancer", uroweb.org
- European Association of Urology, "EAU Guidelines on Renal Cell Carcinoma", uroweb.org
- American Cancer Society, "Testicular Cancer", cancer.org
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, "Bladder Cancer Treatment (PDQ)", cancer.gov
The information on this page is for informational purposes only; it does not replace medical examination, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a healthcare institution regarding your complaints.
