Symptoms

Symptoms of Urologic Cancer

Symptoms of urologic cancer vary greatly depending on the specific type of urologic cancer.

Bladder cancer

The symptoms of bladder cancer include:

  • Blood in the urine (sometimes visible to the naked eye)
  • Increased urinary frequency
  • Frequent urge to urinate
  • Pain or burning during urination
  • Feeling the bladder hasn't completely emptied
  • Severe pain in the midsection, infection and kidney damage (when the cancer is advanced)

People with risk factors for bladder cancer should be aware of these symptoms. Risk factors include:

  • Smoking: Smokers have up to four times greater risk of developing bladder cancer. Nearly 50 percent of all bladder cancers patients are smokers.
  • Chronic irritation: People with chronic bladder stones or long-term catheter use may be at higher risk.
  • Workplace exposure: Polychromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene and benzidine may increase risk of bladder cancer.
  • Other factors: Researchers are continuing to study the impact of chlorinated water, saccharin and a high-fat diet on bladder cancer risk. Previous studies have been inconclusive. A history of bladder cancer can affect the risk of urethral cancer.

Kidney (renal) cancer

The symptoms of kidney cancer include:

  • Blood in the urine (sometimes visible to the naked eye)
  • Abdominal pain
  • A lump between the ribs and hip

Once kidney cancer has spread (metastasized) to other parts of the body, symptoms may include:

  • Fever
  • Weight loss
  • Night sweats
  • High blood pressure
  • Liver problems

People with risk factors for renal cancer should be aware of these symptoms. Risk factors include:

  • Smoking: The more you smoke, the higher your risk.
  • Obesity: The change in hormone levels from obesity can lead to kidney cancer.
  • Age: The average age of diagnosis is 64.
  • Gender: Men are more likely to develop kidney cancer than women.
  • Workplace exposure: Cadmium, some herbicides and certain organic solvents may increase risk of kidney cancer.
  • Family history: The kidney cancer risk rises if you have a first-degree relative (parent, sibling, child) with kidney cancer.
  • Other factors: Analgesic abuse, high blood pressure and some rare hereditary diseases can raise your risk of kidney cancer.

Urethral cancer

There may be no symptoms in the early stages of urethral cancer. Later, patients might experience:

  • Interrupted flow of urine (stop-and-go)
  • Frequent urination
  • Incontinence (an inability to hold your urine)
  • Discharge or bleeding from the urethra or in the urine
  • A painless lump in the perineum, penis or groin
  • Enlarged lymph nodes in the lower abdomen

People with risk factors for urethral cancer should be aware of these symptoms. Risk factors include:

  • A history of bladder cancer
  • Chronic inflammation in the urethra from:
    • Sexually transmitted diseases, including human papillomavirus (especially HPV type 16)
    • Frequent urinary tract infections