UROLOGY, PROSTATE AND RENAL ONCOLOGY PROGRAM
704-355-2884 or 1-800-804-9376
The American Cancer Society predicts that more than 300,000 Americans will be diagnosed with cancer of the genitourinary system this year. This group includes prostate, kidney, bladder and testicular cancers. The majority of these diagnoses will be prostate cancer. To effectively serve patients with these cancers, Blumenthal Cancer Center offers the Urology, Prostate and Renal Oncology Program.
Under the direction of Chris Teigland, MD, the program's team members focus on clinical care, research, surgery and rehabilitation for the treatment of prostate, bladder, renal and testicular cancer. The Urology, Prostate and Renal Oncology Program also has a weekly teleconference to discuss patient treatment at Carolinas Medical Center, as well as other regional hospitals.
What is Prostate Cancer?
The prostate, found only in men, is a walnut-sized gland located in front of the rectum and underneath the urinary bladder. It contains gland cells that produce some of the seminal fluid, which protects and nourishes sperm cells in semen. Just behind the prostate gland are the seminal vesicles that produce most of the fluid for semen. The prostate surrounds the first part of the urethra, the tube that carries urine from the bladder and semen out of the body through the penis.
Over 99 percent of prostate cancers develop from the glandular cells. Glandular cells make the seminal fluid that is secreted by the prostate. The medical term for a cancer that starts in glandular cells is adenocarcinoma. Because other types of prostate cancer are so rare, if you have prostate cancer, it is almost certain to be an adenocarcinoma.
Prostate Cancer Treatment:
Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in American men, comprising 33 percent of all male cancer cases in the United States. The American Cancer Society expects over 232,000 men to be diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2005. In fact, one in six men will eventually develop prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men.
Patients diagnosed with prostate cancer may be treated by one or a combination of four major treatment approaches:
Treatment selection is based on patient choice, the man's overall health and the degree of disease development.
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What is Kidney Cancer?
The kidneys are paired bean-shaped organs that are fixed to the upper back wall of the abdominal cavity. They each weigh about four to five ounces. One kidney is just to the left and the other just to the right of the backbone. Both are protected by the lower ribcage. The main job of the kidneys is to filter the blood and rid the body of excess water, salt and waste products. Although our kidneys are important, we actually need less than one kidney to do all of these functions.
Renal cell carcinoma is the most common type of kidney cancer. It accounts for more than 90 percent of cancerous kidney tumors. Like all cancers, renal cell carcinoma begins small and grows larger over time. Although renal cell carcinoma usually grows as a single mass within the kidney, a kidney may contain more than one tumor. Sometimes tumors may be found in both kidneys at the same time. Some renal cell carcinomas are noticed only after they have become quite large, although most are found before they spread to other organs through the bloodstream or lymph vessels. Like most cancers, renal cell carcinoma is difficult to treat once it has spread.
Kidney/Renal Cell Carcinoma Treatment:
The American Cancer Society predicts that 38,890 new cases of kidney cancer will be diagnosed in 2006. To treat patients with kidney cancer, Chris Teigland, MD, engages a multidisciplinary team at Carolinas Medical Center to treat small and larger kidney tumors.
The primary treatment for kidney cancer is surgery. In fact, over 50 percent of patients with kidney cancer are cured with surgery. Most surgery for kidney cancer is now done at Carolinas Medical Center via a minimally invasive (laparoscopic) approach. Dr. Teigland's team at Carolinas Medical Center is a regional center of excellence for laparoscopic renal surgery.
In some cases, however, the cancer presents beyond the localized stage initially or recurs following surgery. Advanced kidney cancer commonly affects the lungs, bone, liver, or brain. In advanced cases, patient care may involve other treatment options, including:
If additional treatment beyond surgery is required, Dr. Teigland discusses these approaches with patients, recommends a course of action and coordinates patient care among specialists at Carolinas Medical Center as needed.
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What is Bladder Cancer?
What is Bladder Cancer?
The bladder is a hollow pelvic organ with flexible, muscular walls that stores urine. The wall of the bladder has several layers. A layer of urothelial cells lines the inside of the kidney, ureter, bladder and urethra. Beneath this layer, called the urothelium, there is a thin zone of connective tissue called the lamina propria. The next deeper layer is a wider zone of muscle tissue called the muscularis propria. After this muscle, another zone of fatty connective tissue separates the bladder from other nearby organs. It is important to understand these layers because as the cancer penetrates through them, it becomes harder to treat.
The four main types of cancers that affect the bladder are:
- urothelial carcinoma or transitional cell carcinoma
- squamous cell carcinoma
- adenocarcinoma
- small cell
These same types of cancer can also grow in the lining of the kidney, ureters and urethra. In fact, patients with bladder cancer sometimes have a similar type of cancer in these areas. Therefore, a complete evaluation of the urinary system is recommended for patients diagnosed with a cancer of the kidney, bladder, ureter or urethra.
Bladder Cancer Treatment:
The main types of treatment for cancer of the bladder are surgery, radiation therapy, immunotherapy and chemotherapy. Based on the stage of the cancer, one type or a combination of types of treatment may be recommended. Surgery, alone or combined with other treatments, is used in more than 90 percent of cases.
You will want to weigh the benefits of each treatment against its possible side effects and/or risks. The treatment you choose should also take into account your general health, age and personal preferences, as well as the cell type and stage of your cancer.
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What is Testicular Cancer?
Testicular cancer is cancer that typically develops in one or both testicles in young men. It is a highly treatable and usually curable form of cancer.
The testicles are a part of the male reproductive system. These 2 organs, each normally somewhat smaller than a golf ball in adult males, are contained within a sac of skin called the scrotum, which hangs beneath the base of the penis.
The testicles contain several types of cells, each of which may develop into one or more types of cancer. It is important to distinguish these types of cancers from one another because they differ in the prognosis and in the ways they are treated.
Over 90 percent of cancers of the testicle develop in certain cells known as germ cells, which are the cells that produce sperm. The two main types of germ cell tumors that occur in men are seminomas and nonseminomas. Each kind of cancer occurs in nearly equal numbers. Some cancers contain both nonseminoma and seminoma cells. These are classified as nonseminomas because they grow and spread like nonseminomas.
Testicular Cancer Treatment:
The American Cancer Society estimates that in the year 2005, about 8,010 new cases of testicular cancer will be diagnosed in the United States. In recent years, much progress has been made in treating testicular cancer. Surgical methods have been refined, and we know more about the best way to use chemotherapy and radiation to treat different types of testicular cancer.
After the cancer is diagnosed and staged, your cancer care team will discuss treatment options with you. The three main methods of treatment for testicular cancer are surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. As always, treatment approaches are reviewed for each stage of cancer.
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