Urologic cancer.

Abstract

Cancer prevention and risk reduction in patients with carcinomas of the urinary tract are most easily identified by smoking cessation. Recent assessments of patients with bladder carcinomas show a high percentage of active smokers. Urologic surgeons and those dealing with cancers of the genitourinary tract should recognize such an important factor. In other lifestyle guidelines, the American Cancer Society suggests that those who significantly reduce the fat content of their diet with weight reduction will generally reduce risk factors in a number of cancers, including prostate cancer. Many new diagnostic tests have been introduced since the 1980 conference. Transrectal ultrasonography as a preoperative staging technique has been received with some enthusiasm. Currently, a national program for the testing of the detection of prostate cancer by ultrasound compared with other physical examinations and marker antigens, such as prostate antigen, is underway. The evaluation of renal masses continues to be improved by the use of ultrasonography and computed tomography (CT) scanning. Currently, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques are believed to have added some improved assessment for particularly large tumors and the question of their vascular extension. Occasionally observed lesions of the adrenal gland without hormonal expression in patients continue to be noticed during evaluations for frequently unrelated diagnoses. The management of such lesions less than 3.5 cm in diameter is believed to be conservative based on their size. Preoperative staging of the bladder has improved with transurethral ultrasonography use and the follow-up with patients has developed more frequently with the widely available urinary cytology. Fine needle aspiration of the prostate gland, lymph nodes, and other urinary tumor masses is increasing in diagnostic use. Flow cytometry has been applied to all lesions of the urinary tract and continues to be a field of clinical investigation. The field of biologic markers in diagnosis, detection, and follow-up evaluation of patients with carcinomas of the urinary tract is a most interesting and progressive one. Currently, the most widely accepted new innovation is the prostate antigen, which was developed by members of the National Prostatic Cancer Project between 1975 and 1986. Other markers offer potential added value in more accurate and earlier diagnosis and detection and correlation with prognostic factors concerning individual groups of patients. Progress in the detection, diagnosis, and management of genitourinary cancer is being achieved, and prevention, although perhaps simplistic in design, can be more readily applied.