Questions posted in the
The Urology Forum have been answered by urologists from Henry Ford Health System and by Dr. Kevin Pho.
| |
|
Subject: Re: Blood In Urine My father(age 55) has had blood in his urine for the past 3 days. A urine culture was done which came back negative. He has had lack of energy over the past year. He also smoked 3 packs of cigarettes a day for about 30 years(He quit 8 years ago). His mother and sister died at a early age with colon cancer (54 & 70 years old). He went to the uriologist today and they ordered a IVP to be done tomorrow morning. They didnt think he should wait any longer. What else could this be besides CANCER??? Any information you could give me would be very helpful! Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Dear Tammy, The presence of blood in urine (hematuria) is cause for concern and must be evaluated by a physician to discover its source. Blood could be visible to the eye, or microscopic. There are multiple reasons why someone might have hematuria, and each person's medical history is an important part of the differential diagnosis process. Some of the causes are kidney stones; inflammation or infection; trauma; tumors; bleeding from prostate veins; blood clotting problems; and abnormal blood vessels. Certain medications could cause irritation, as well, which would produce hematuria. Some treatments, such as radiation or chemotherapy, could also cause it. Because your father, according to your letter, has no other significant symptoms associated with the hematuria (such as back pain to suggest stones), and because he has a significant history of cigarette smoking, his physician will have to rule out bladder cancer. Bladder cancer affects men three times more frequently than women, white men more frequently than black men, and smokers two to five times more frequently than nonsmokers. In addition, there are certain environmental/occupational hazards which contribute to bladder cancer. Workers in dry cleaning plants, rubber factories, and people who work around dyes, have a higher incidence of bladder cancer than the general population. The appropriate workup for someone with hematuria includes: IVP (by now you will have the results of your father's test), urine culture and urine cytology (looking at the cells in the urine), cystoscopy (looking inside the bladder with a scope), and possibly, bladder biopsy. Once a diagnosis is made, the urologist will make the appropriate treatment recommendations. This information is provided for general medical educational purposes only. Please consult your physician for diagnostic and treatment options pertaining to your specific medical condition. More individualized care is available at the Henry Ford Hospital and its satellites (1 800 653-6568). Sincerely, | |
