Genitourinary Oncology Program Our Services
Patients of the Genitourinary Oncology Program have access to the most advanced diagnostic and treatment options available. Supportive care is also available through the CompleteLife Program whose staff compassionately support and educate our patients by tending to the emotional, mental, social, and spiritual needs of our patients.
Diagnostic Tools
Genitourinary cancer diagnosis may be aided by one or more of the following tools:
- clinical examination to check for lumps or other changes
- blood testing, such as prostate specific antigen (PSA) or serum tumor marker tests, to measure the amounts of certain substances in the blood that may indicate the presence of cancer
- cystoscopy to look inside the bladder and urethra to check for abnormal areas
- biopsy to remove cells or tissues for examination under a microscope
- transurethral resection to remove tissue, with a special instrument inserted through the urethra, for examination under a microscope
- transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy to remove, with the guidance of an ultrasound, a sample of tissue from the prostate for examination under a microscope
- radiographic studies, such as a CT scan or X-ray, to create a picture of some portion of the genitourinary system
Therapeutic Options
An individualized treatment plan is made based on the most current treatment recommendations and the needs of the patient. In all cases, treatment is focused on eliminating the cancer while preserving normal function.
The department leads the way as the dominant center in the Midwest for urologic laparoscopic surgery, including minimally invasive prostate cancer surgery. With the assistance of the da Vinci Surgical Robotic System, our surgeons are able to perform prostate cancer surgery through small, keyhole-sized incisions. This new approach means less pain and faster recovery times for the patient.
When appropriate, therapeutic options for genitourinary cancer can include one or more of the following:
- retroperitoneal lymph node dissection to remove the lymph node tissue outside or behind the tissue that lines the abdominal wall and most of the abdominal organs to see if it contains cancer
- surgery to remove the cancer in an operation and, if the tumor is large, a small amount of healthy tissue around it
- chemotherapy to kill cancer cells with drugs
- radiotherapy to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors with powerful rays that may come from a machine outside the body or from material placed in the body
- hormonal therapy to slow or stop tumor growth by using synthetic hormones or drugs to block the body’s natural hormones, or by surgically removing the gland that makes the hormones
- cystectomy to surgically remove all or part of the bladder
Options for bladder replacement and other continent urinary diversion, which enables a patient to urinate at his or her own discretion without the use of any appliance or collecting device, may be pursued if the cancer or treatment does interfere with the normal function of the bladder.
IU Simon Cancer Center patients have access to all standard treatment therapies and, for those who qualify, state of the science clinical trials for care options not yet available elsewhere. Information is also available about ongoing clinical studies elsewhere in the United States.