Condition Lookup

Wilms Tumor (Nephroblastoma)

Specialty: Oncology

Symptoms:
abdominal swelling or mass; abdominal pain; fever; blood in urine; nausea or vomiting

Root Cause:
A rare kidney cancer in children caused by genetic mutations affecting kidney development.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Ultrasound, CT or MRI, and biopsy; genetic testing may be performed.

Treatment:
Surgery (nephrectomy), chemotherapy, and radiation therapy (in advanced stages).

Medications:
Chemotherapeutic agents like vincristine , actinomycin D, and doxorubicin are used in combination therapy.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Wilms tumor affects about 1 in 10,000 children, making it the most common pediatric kidney cancer.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Family history of Wilms tumor, genetic syndromes (e.g., WAGR syndrome, Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome).

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Favorable prognosis with a 5-year survival rate exceeding 90% for localized cases.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Kidney function loss, metastases to lungs or liver, and complications from chemotherapy or radiation.

Prostate Cancer

Specialty: Oncology

Category: Solid Tumors

Sub-category: Genitourinary Cancers

Symptoms:
frequent urination; weak or interrupted urine flow; blood in urine or semen; pelvic discomfort; bone pain (in advanced stages); erectile dysfunction

Root Cause:
Uncontrolled growth of malignant cells in the prostate gland, often due to genetic mutations and hormonal imbalances.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Digital rectal exam (DRE), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test, biopsy, MRI, and bone scans for staging.

Treatment:
Surgery (radical prostatectomy), radiation therapy, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy (e.g., PARP inhibitors).

Medications:
Medications include androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) agents such as leuprolide (a GnRH agonist) and enzalutamide (an androgen receptor inhibitor). Chemotherapy drugs like docetaxel or cabazitaxel and targeted agents like olaparib (a PARP inhibitor) may also be prescribed.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men worldwide, with an estimated 1.4 million cases annually.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Older age (over 50), African ancestry, family history of prostate cancer, BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations, high-fat diet.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Generally favorable if detected early; localized prostate cancer has a 5-year survival rate of nearly 100%, but metastatic cases have a poorer outlook.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, bone metastases, and complications from treatment like bowel dysfunction.

Bladder Cancer

Specialty: Oncology

Category: Solid Tumors

Sub-category: Genitourinary Cancers

Symptoms:
blood in urine (hematuria); frequent urination; painful urination; pelvic pain; back pain (in advanced stages)

Root Cause:
Abnormal growth of malignant cells in the bladder lining, often linked to tobacco exposure or carcinogenic chemicals.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Urinalysis, cystoscopy, biopsy, urine cytology, CT urogram, or MRI.

Treatment:
Transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT), intravesical therapy (e.g., BCG), chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radical cystectomy in advanced cases.

Medications:
Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is an immunotherapy for non-invasive bladder cancer. Chemotherapy agents include cisplatin and gemcitabine . Immune checkpoint inhibitors such as pembrolizumab (PD-1 inhibitor) may also be used.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Bladder cancer is the 10th most common cancer worldwide, with over 570,000 cases annually.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Smoking, occupational exposure to chemicals (e.g., dyes, rubber), chronic bladder inflammation, and age (more common in individuals over 55).

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Varies based on stage; early-stage bladder cancer has a high recurrence rate but good survival with treatment. Advanced stages have a poorer prognosis.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Urinary obstruction, kidney damage, metastasis to other organs, and complications from radical surgery.

Urothelial Carcinoma

Specialty: Oncology

Category: Solid Tumors

Sub-category: Genitourinary Cancers

Symptoms:
blood in urine (hematuria); frequent or painful urination; lower back pain; pelvic pain (advanced stages)

Root Cause:
Malignant growth of transitional cells in the urothelial lining, primarily affecting the bladder, ureters, and renal pelvis.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Cystoscopy, biopsy, urine cytology, CT urogram, and MRI.

Treatment:
TURBT (Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor), intravesical therapy (e.g., BCG), systemic chemotherapy, immunotherapy (e.g., checkpoint inhibitors), and surgery for advanced stages.

Medications:
Cisplatin-based chemotherapy is common, often combined with gemcitabine . Immunotherapies like atezolizumab and pembrolizumab (PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors) are used for advanced cases.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Urothelial carcinoma accounts for 90% of all bladder cancers; approximately 570,000 cases occur worldwide annually.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Smoking, exposure to industrial chemicals, age (typically over 55), chronic bladder irritation or infections.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Early-stage urothelial carcinoma has a good prognosis with treatment; invasive cases have a higher risk of recurrence and metastasis.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Urinary tract obstruction, renal failure, metastases to lungs, liver, or bones.

Kidney Cancer

Specialty: Oncology

Category: Solid Tumors

Sub-category: Genitourinary Cancers

Symptoms:
blood in urine; persistent back pain; lump or mass in the abdomen; unexplained weight loss; fatigue

Root Cause:
Malignant growth of cells in the kidney, often arising from the renal tubules, caused by genetic mutations or environmental factors.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Ultrasound, CT scan, MRI, biopsy, and urine or blood tests.

Treatment:
Surgery (partial or radical nephrectomy), targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and, in some cases, radiation therapy or ablation.

Medications:
Targeted therapies like sunitinib (tyrosine kinase inhibitor) or nivolumab (PD-1 inhibitor) are used. Immunotherapies include pembrolizumab or ipilimumab .

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Accounts for 3-5% of all cancers, with over 430,000 cases annually worldwide.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, family history of kidney cancer, and exposure to toxic chemicals.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Localized kidney cancer has a good prognosis with surgical treatment; metastatic cases have a poorer outlook.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Spread to lungs, liver, bones, and complications from kidney function loss.

Renal Cell Carcinoma

Specialty: Oncology

Category: Solid Tumors

Sub-category: Genitourinary Cancers

Symptoms:
blood in urine; flank pain; unexplained weight loss; fever; fatigue

Root Cause:
A subtype of kidney cancer originating in the renal tubules due to genetic mutations and environmental triggers.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Imaging tests (CT, MRI, ultrasound), biopsy, and blood tests (to assess kidney function).

Treatment:
Surgery (nephrectomy), targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and in advanced cases, systemic therapies.

Medications:
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors like pazopanib and axitinib ; immunotherapies such as nivolumab (PD-1 inhibitor) or combination therapies like ipilimumab with nivolumab .

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
RCC is the most common type of kidney cancer, comprising about 85% of cases globally.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Smoking, obesity, hypertension, genetic predisposition (e.g., von Hippel-Lindau syndrome), chronic kidney disease.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
High survival rates if detected early; metastatic RCC is challenging to treat and has a worse prognosis.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Tumor metastasis, loss of kidney function, paraneoplastic syndromes.

Testicular Cancer

Specialty: Oncology

Category: Solid Tumors

Sub-category: Genitourinary Cancers

Symptoms:
painless lump or swelling in the testicle; ache or heaviness in the lower abdomen or scrotum; sudden fluid collection in the scrotum; breast tenderness or growth (gynecomastia); back pain (in advanced stages)

Root Cause:
Malignant growth in the testicles, often caused by genetic mutations and chromosomal abnormalities.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Physical exam, ultrasound, blood tests for tumor markers (e.g., AFP, HCG, LDH), and biopsy (usually post-orchiectomy).

Treatment:
Surgery (radical inguinal orchiectomy), radiation therapy (for seminomas), and chemotherapy (e.g., BEP regimen – bleomycin, etoposide, cisplatin).

Medications:
Chemotherapy drugs like cisplatin , etoposide , and bleomycin are standard treatments for advanced testicular cancer.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Testicular cancer is rare but the most common cancer in men aged 15–35, with about 95,000 new cases annually worldwide.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Cryptorchidism (undescended testicle), family history, HIV infection, Caucasian ethnicity, and prior testicular cancer.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Highly favorable; the 5-year survival rate exceeds 95%, even in advanced cases with chemotherapy.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Infertility, secondary cancers due to chemotherapy or radiation, and metastasis to lungs, liver, or brain.

Seminoma

Specialty: Oncology

Category: Solid Tumors

Sub-category: Genitourinary Cancers

Symptoms:
painless swelling or lump in the testicle; dull ache in the scrotum or abdomen; gynecomastia (breast tenderness or enlargement); fatigue; back pain in advanced stages

Root Cause:
A type of germ cell tumor in the testes, characterized by slow growth and high radiosensitivity.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Ultrasound, blood tests for tumor markers (HCG, LDH), and post-orchiectomy histopathological examination.

Treatment:
Radical inguinal orchiectomy, followed by radiation therapy or chemotherapy depending on the stage.

Medications:
Chemotherapy agents such as carboplatin or cisplatin-based regimens. Radiation therapy is often used for early-stage seminomas.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Seminomas account for about 50% of all testicular cancers.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Cryptorchidism, family history of testicular cancer, Caucasian ethnicity, and genetic predispositions.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Excellent, with nearly 100% survival for early-stage seminomas and high survival rates even in advanced cases.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Rare in early stages; advanced cases may metastasize to lymph nodes or lungs.

Non-Seminoma

Specialty: Oncology

Category: Solid Tumors

Sub-category: Genitourinary Cancers

Symptoms:
testicular lump or swelling; lower abdominal or back pain; gynecomastia; fatigue; cough or shortness of breath (if metastasized)

Root Cause:
Aggressive germ cell tumors of the testes, often presenting as mixed histologies (e.g., embryonal carcinoma, yolk sac tumor, choriocarcinoma, teratoma).

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Ultrasound, tumor markers (e.g., AFP, HCG, LDH), CT scans for staging, and biopsy post-orchiectomy.

Treatment:
Radical inguinal orchiectomy followed by chemotherapy (BEP regimen) or surgery for residual tumors.

Medications:
Bleomycin , etoposide , and cisplatin are standard chemotherapeutic drugs used.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Non-seminomas account for approximately 40-50% of testicular cancers.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Similar to seminomas, including cryptorchidism, genetic predispositions, and prior testicular cancer.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Favorable for early stages, but lower survival rates compared to seminomas for advanced disease.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Metastasis to lungs, liver, and brain; complications from intensive chemotherapy.

Penile Cancer

Specialty: Oncology

Category: Solid Tumors

Sub-category: Genitourinary Cancers

Symptoms:
lump or sore on the penis; redness or thickening of penile skin; discharge or bleeding; pain during urination or intercourse

Root Cause:
Malignant growth of squamous cells in the penile tissue, often linked to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Physical exam, biopsy, imaging (MRI or CT for staging), and HPV testing.

Treatment:
Surgery (partial or total penectomy), radiation therapy, and chemotherapy for advanced or metastatic cases.

Medications:
Chemotherapy agents include cisplatin , fluorouracil , and docetaxel .

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare, with an incidence of about 1 case per 100,000 men worldwide.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
HPV infection, poor hygiene, uncircumcised status, smoking, phimosis, and older age.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Early-stage penile cancer has a good prognosis with surgical treatment; advanced or metastatic cases have a poorer outlook.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Lymphatic spread, disfigurement, urinary dysfunction, and metastasis to other organs.

Urethral Cancer

Specialty: Oncology

Category: Solid Tumors

Sub-category: Genitourinary Cancers

Symptoms:
difficulty urinating; blood in urine; pelvic pain; discharge from the urethra; swelling in the groin

Root Cause:
Malignant tumors forming in the urethral lining, often associated with chronic inflammation or prior cancer history.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Cystoscopy, biopsy, imaging (CT, MRI), and urinalysis.

Treatment:
Surgery (partial or total urethrectomy), radiation therapy, and chemotherapy for invasive cases.

Medications:
Chemotherapy regimens may include cisplatin and fluorouracil for advanced disease.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Extremely rare; more common in women and individuals with chronic urinary tract infections or bladder cancer history.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Chronic inflammation, prior bladder cancer, HPV infection, and advanced age.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Early diagnosis offers better outcomes, but advanced stages carry a higher risk of recurrence and metastasis.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Urinary obstruction, kidney damage, metastases to lymph nodes or distant organs.