Genitourinary Cancer

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy may be used as your primary method of treatment if genitourinary cancer has spread throughout the body. Medicine for this treatment can be given in pill form or delivered directly into the veins.

Hormone Therapy

Hormone Therapy is typically used as a treatment for localized genitourinary cancer. If you’re not a candidate for surgery or radiation, hormone therapy may be your best bet for treatment.

Targeted Therapy

Targeted Therapy uses drugs and other substances to precisely target cancerous cells, sparing surrounding healthy cells. It can also be used alongside other treatment types, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy. 

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy can be used to activate your immune system to battle cancer cells more effectively. It’s also known as Biologic Response Modifier (BRM) therapy, biologic therapy or biotherapy.  

EBRT is the most common type of radiation therapy. During EBRT, a special X-ray machine is used to aim powerful radiation directly at tumors in your body.

Internal Radiation Therapy (Brachytherapy)

Brachytherapy refers to various procedures that place radioactive material inside your body. It’s not as common as EBRT.

Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)

IMRT is a type of radiation therapy that kills cancer cells inside your body. IMRT allows your care team to match radiation beams to the unique shape of your tumor.

TomoTherapy

TomoTherapy is a type of therapy where radiation is aimed at your tumor from a variety of angles. During Tomotherapy, you lie on a table while a machine rotates around you in a spiral pattern emanating radiation.

Surgery is another treatment option to remove genitourinary cancer, which can include the use of minimally invasive techniques using state-of-the-art robotic technology. Patients who undergo this type of robotic surgery can expect less pain and faster recovery times than with open surgery or traditional laparoscopy.

Cryosurgery

Also referred to as cryotherapy or cryoablation, cryosurgery is a minimally invasive surgical treatment used to freeze the affected gland and destroy cancer cells. It’s sometimes used if a patient’s cancer has returned or as an alternative to the surgical removal of the infected gland.

Radiofrequency Ablation

Radiofrequency ablation is another type of minimally invasive procedure that uses heat to stop the transmission of pain from nerve endings to the brain. It can help some patients avoid surgery altogether and return to normal activities faster than with other treatment techniques.

Active Surveillance (AS) is also known as watchful waiting. This is an option for some men who are at low-risk or have slow-growing prostate or kidney cancer. Instead of starting immediate treatment, which may cause unwanted side effects, your Mercy doctor will closely monitor your prostate and kidneys.