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Genitourinary Cancer

Through education and advocacy, ACCC seeks to improve cancer outcomes for patients diagnosed with genitourinary cancer.

Genitourinary cancer may include cancers of the urinary system, as well as the reproductive tract. Adrenal, bladder, and kidney (also known as renal) cancers occur in the urinary system, while penile, prostate, and testicular cancers develop in the reproductive tract. Prostate, bladder, and kidney cancers are the most common types of genitourinary cancer, while testicular, penile, and adrenal cancers are the least common.

People who are at higher risk of genitourinary cancer may have a family history of this type of disease. Smoking, age, race/ethnicity, chemical exposures, diet, high blood pressure, and the use of certain medicines or herbal supplements can also increase a person’s risk for certain types of genitourinary cancers.

While some genitourinary cancers have obvious symptoms, others do not. For example, prostate cancer is often referred to as a "silent killer" since some patients do not report having any symptoms prior to diagnosis. However, routine physicals and screenings can help providers find and diagnose these types of cancers early.

Bladder cancer is a common type of cancer that often begins in the urothelial cells, also known as transitional cells, lining the inside of the urethra, bladder, ureters, and renal pelvis.

After skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in men in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates 268,490 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2022.

Renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer) is among the 10 most common cancers in both men and women, with 15-25 percent of patients having metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) where the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

On-Demand Webinars

Overcoming Prostate Cancer Disparities in Care

Addressing disparities in prostate cancer requires the ability to recognize that care inequities exist and to commit to proven efforts to provide equitable care to all patients. This is not an easy undertaking—but an essential one for any healthcare team.
Multidisciplinary Summit on Treating Advanced Prostate Cancer in the Community Setting [Virtual]
Emerging Therapies for the Management of Castration-Sensitive Prostate Cancer

All On-Demand Webinars

From Oncology Issues

The Evolving Immunotherapeutic Landscape in Renal Cell Carcinoma
Robert A. Figlin, MD, FACP; Jocelyn Mohs, PharmD, BCOP; and Laura S. Wood, RN, MSN, OCN

In 2019 the Association of Community Cancer Centers developed an education program to provide all members of the multidisciplinary care team knowledge and resources to help successfully integrate immunotherapies into the treatment of patients with RCC.
Prostate Cancer Detection & Diagnosis: Opening Up New Therapeutic Avenues
James S. Wysock, MD, and Herbert Lepor, MD

The challenge providers face is to screen and detect “smarter” in order to minimize the burden of unnecessary biopsy and treatment. Ideally, the goal is to identify men who would benefit from aggressive therapy.