BLOOD IN URINE
Blood in urine can be painless or unpleasant, depending on whether you can see it without a microscope or if your pee is pink or red. Various health disorders, such as malignancies, might induce a painless hematuria.
When you visit Men’s Health Alaska, you must first produce a urine sample, which will be tested for infection as well as blood in the pee. We can identify if you have any blood cells in your urine using an automated urinalysis system, which could be concerning.
The kidneys or the collecting system may be the source of blood in the urine. A urine test is usually ordered by a doctor to investigate the nature of the underlying disease that resulted in blood in the urine.
WHY AM I PEEING BLOOD?
The common causes of blood in urine are urinary tract infections (UTI), urinary tract stones, benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), bladder tumors, urethritis, and prostate cancer. Cancer can affect various organs in the body, and cancer affecting the urinary system can result in the presence of blood in urine. When a visible blood in urine is seen, it may be a sign of an advanced kidney, prostate, or bladder cancer.
BLOOD IN URINE CAUSES: CANCER
PROSTATE CANCER
Prostate cancer, the most common cancer for men, is a type of cancer that affects the male’s prostate gland. The prostate gland is a small, walnut-shaped organ responsible for producing seminal fluid that nurtures and transports sperm.
Cancer typically grows slowly in size and remains in the prostate gland initially. Symptoms may not be present during the early stages but common symptoms include difficulty in urinating, blood in urine, reduced force in the urine stream, erectile dysfunction, and bone pain. Prostate cancer that’s detected during its early course has a better chance of survival and success of treatment.
BLADDER CANCER
The bladder is a balloon-shaped organ located in the pelvis, with the main function of storing the urine. Bladder cancer, as the name implies, affects the bladder. Cancer in this organ starts in the cells lining the inside of the bladder. Bladder cancer may develop at any age, but it is most common in older adults.
Signs and symptoms of bladder cancer are blood in urine (visible or microscopic), painful and frequent urination, and pelvic or back pain.
KIDNEY CANCER
Kidney cancer is the form of cancer that originates in the kidneys. The kidneys are bean-shaped organs located behind the organs of the abdomen. The most common type of kidney cancer in adults is renal cell carcinoma, while Wilms’ tumor is more common in children.
It is very rare that kidney cancer produces signs and symptoms during its early stages. Signs and symptoms during the later stages include blood in urine, weight loss, back pain that doesn’t go away, intermittent fever, and fatigue.
URETHRAL CANCER
Urethral cancer is the rarest type of all urological cancers and is more common in men than women. It affects the urethra, the hollow tube that lets urine pass from the bladder.
Evaluation of the urinary tract has 2 important components: CT Scan & Cystoscopy.
CT SCAN
The initial evaluation for AMH should include a radiologic evaluation. Multi-phasic computed tomography (CT) urography (without and with IV contrast), including sufficient phases to evaluate the renal parenchyma to rule out a renal mass and an excretory phase to evaluate the urothelium of the upper tracts, is the best imaging procedure because it has the highest sensitivity and specificity for imaging the upper tracts (Ref: AUA Guidelines, 2012 Recommendation).
Read more about CT scans for cancer detection here.
CYSTOSCOPY
A cystoscopy should be performed on all AMH patients who present with risk factors for urinary tract malignancies (e.g., history of irritative voiding symptoms, current or past tobacco use, chemical exposures) regardless of age. (Ref: AUA Guidelines, 2012 Recommendation)
Read more about cystoscopy here.
