UMCCC: Urinary Tract Cancer

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		Home > Cancer and Treatments > Urologic Cancers Urinary Tract Cancer Metastatic Definition When cells in the body grow out of control, it is called cancer. A growth of cancer cells may be called a tumor. Metastatic urinary tract cancer is cancer that started as a tumor in the urinary tract and has spread to other parts of the body. The kidney, ureter, bladder, and urethra are all part of the urinary tract. When urinary tract cancer spreads, the original tumor sheds cancer cells that travel through the bloodstream and lymph system to other parts of the body. New tumors begin to grow. How far the cancer spreads from the original tumor site depends on the type of cells, their location, and your response to treatment. Urinary cancer commonly spreads to the lungs, bones, lymph nodes, and liver. Getting Diagnosed / Treatment Metastatic cancer of the urinary tract is treated in the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center's Multidisciplinary Urologic Oncology Clinic. Read more about: The Urologic Oncology Clinic the Multidisciplinary Urologic Oncology Team - note: this link opens onto the UMHS website. Make an Appointment How does it occur? When urinary tract cancer spreads, the original tumor sheds cancer cells that travel through the bloodstream and lymph system to other parts of the body. New tumors begin to grow. How far the cancer spreads from the original tumor site depends on the type of cells, their location, and your response to treatment. Urinary cancer commonly spreads to the lungs, bones, lymph nodes, and liver. What are the symptoms? The symptoms of the original tumor in the urinary tract are often the same as the symptoms of a urinary tract infection. Possible symptoms are: blood in the urine the need to urinate often and with urgency. The symptoms of tumor spread (metastases) depend on where in the body the new tumors are located. Some possible symptoms are: pain in the back or bone pain swelling in the legs enlarged lymph nodes in the groin. How is it diagnosed? A physical exam or x-rays may show tumors growing in other parts of the body (for example, the lungs or liver). Other procedures and tests used to detect metastatic urinary tract cancer are: ultrasound scan of the kidneys intravenous pyelography (IVP), which is a special x-ray that uses an injected dye to show the kidneys, ureters, and bladder chest x-ray CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis blood tests How is it treated? The treatment depends on where the tumor is, how large it is, how much it has spread, and the symptoms. Treatment choices are: Chemotherapy: Anticancer drugs are used to try to kill the cancer cells. Radiation therapy: Cancerous areas are exposed to high doses of radiation to: shrink the size of a tumor decrease pain if a tumor is pressing on a nerve control bleeding decrease pain in bones that are cancerous. These treatments may be used alone or in combination. Surgery is not usually used to treat metastatic urinary tract cancer except to stop severe bleeding or spasms. How long will the effects last? Life expectancy after metastatic urinary tract cancer depends on how much the cancer has spread and where the new tumors are. How can I take care of myself? Follow your health care provider's advice. Eat a healthy diet. Get plenty of rest. Recognize that having the cancer is an added stress in your life. Take more time for your important relationships and for rest. Ask your health care provider any questions you have about the course of the disease, treatments, side effects of the treatments, support groups, and anything else that concerns you. Ask your provider about alternative methods for pain control, such as relaxation techniques, guided imagery, and hypnosis. How can I help prevent urinary tract cancer? Metastatic urinary tract cancer may be prevented by early detection and treatment of tumors before the cancer spreads to other parts of the body. Make sure you have regular checkups. Checkups are especially important if you are at high risk for urinary tract cancer. The most important high risk factor is smoking. Tell your health care provider right away about symptoms such as blood in the urine, or pain when you urinate. Return to the top of the page updated 3/2006 Developed by McKesson Health Solutions LLC. Published by McKesson Health Solutions LLC. This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information is intended to inform and educate and is not a replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.		See Also Urologic/Prostate Clinical Trials on the Engage website Adjust text size University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center 1500 East Medical Center Drive Ann Arbor, MI 48109 This site is part of the U-M Health System. The information presented is not a tool for self diagnosis or a substitute for professional care. © 2008 U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center

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