Attention, men! The presence of blood in the urine and unexplained pain in the abdomen could foreshadow a cancer

By Dr. Anil Mandhani


Most health authorities are working to raise public awareness of lung cancer, oral cancer and blood cancer. Although at a lower frequency, it is also essential that people understand the deadly types of cancer present in men.

Here are 5 types of genitourinary system cancer in men. These five cancers largely ignored in men are cancers of the prostate, bladder, kidneys, testicles and penis.

It is therefore important to know the causes, symptoms and treatment of each one for rapid detection and treatment. Although prostate cancer is the most commonly treated topic, the others are equally important.

Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer occurs in the cells of the prostate, which surrounds the cervix of the bladder. Prostate cancer is the most common genitourinary cancer. It usually develops after age 50 or earlier if one has a family history of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer does not show significant symptoms at first, but in advanced stages it can cause obstruction during pbadage of urine and / or loss of blood in the urine. A simple blood test performed by doing a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test after consulting a urologist can help detect it at an early stage. Treatment at an early stage can cure cancer patients. The best treatment is the removal of the prostate by radical prostatectomy badisted by robot. Alternatively, radical radiotherapy can also be given. After weighing the pros and cons of the treatment.

Bladder cancer

Urinary bladder cancer is common in men who work for the paint and leather industry and who smoke. Although bladder cancer affects mainly the elderly, its incidence also increases among the youngest. Smoking is responsible for 66% of bladder cancers. The most common symptoms are blood in the urine, dark urine, frequent urination, or painful urination. The blood in the urine should not be ignored. When you pbad a urine test, consult a doctor if the test shows that the red blood cells are in the urine.

Kidney cancer

Kidney cancer is also detected late. Due to the easy availability of ultrasound, kidney cancers are detected early, which helps prevent complete removal of the organ. Although this disease has mainly affected older people for decades, its incidence is increasing among young people. The first symptoms are the presence of blood in the urine, persistent pain, heaviness of the back, unexplained fever, loss of appetite, anemia, unexplained weight loss and swelling of the ankles. legs.

The best treatment for kidney cancer is surgery. Robot-badisted surgery is good for the removal of an affected part of the kidney with a tumor. Immunotherapy plays a role in the advanced stage.

Testicular cancer

Testicular cancer is cancer of the testes, which are male reproductive organs. Testicular tumors are more common in young men aged 15 to 34 years. The painless enlargement of the testes, the heaviness of the scrotal sac and bumps in the testicles are early signs of this cancer. Younger men should not ignore these warning signs as it is the only cancer that can be completely cured without any major side effects of the treatment.

Penis cancer

Penile cancers develop in the penis. It is one of the few cancers that can be prevented by maintaining good hygiene, especially in the penis glans. The incidence of penile cancer is more common in developing countries such as India and more common in rural areas than in the urban population. The cancer begins to spread from the foreskin or glans. The first signs include a red discoloration of the glans or foreskin, the presence of painless or painful ulcers or any type of abnormal growth. The best way to fight this cancer is to prevent it and men of all ages should pull the foreskin back to clean the anterior part of the penis while bathing.

General measures to reduce the risk of cancer development:

Cancer is a loss of low immunity. Immunity should be improved by quitting smoking, exercising daily, eating low carb and protein diets, controlling weight gain and controlling diabetes and hypertension. . In addition to being concerned about the general state of health, men should not ignore the warning signs of cancer, namely sudden and unexplained weight loss, presence of blood in the urine or the eyes. stool, appearance of any new skin lesion in the body, modification of the pattern of urine and stool, unexplained pain in the abdomen, etc.

(The author is MS MCh, DNB (Urology), FACS, Chairman of the Board, Urology and Kidney Transplant, Medanta The Medicity, Gurgaon)