Urology Clinic of Lake Charles, LA

Dr. Reed Fontenot, Jr.
Dr. Stacy McBroom
Dr. John Upshaw

News

July 18, 2008
Computerized Tomography Findings In Pediatric Renal Trauma - Indications For Early Intervention?
UroToday.com - The study out of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh evaluated CT scans for blunt renal trauma to see if they correlated with the need for operative intervention when urinary extravasation was present.

A total of 17 patients with grade IV blunt renal trauma and urinary extravasation were identified between 2000 and 2007. Each CT scan was reviewed to determine location, size and number of sites of extravasation, as well as the presence of contrast material in the ipsilateral ureter. These were then compared to the findings at the time of surgery - whether surgey included stent placement, percutaneous urinoma drainage, angiographic embolization and nephrectomy. Read entire article here.

July 15, 2008
Increased Risk Of Kidney Stone Disease Due To Global Warming, Predicts UT Southwestern Researchers
Global warming is likely to increase the proportion of the population affected by kidney stones by expanding the higher-risk region known as the "kidney-stone belt" into neighboring states, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center and UT Dallas have found.

Dehydration is one of the risk factors linked to kidney-stone disease, and the paper suggests global warming will exacerbate this effect. The researchers predict that by 2050, higher temperatures will cause an additional 1.6 million to 2.2 million kidney-stone cases, representing up to a 30 percent growth in some areas. Read entire article here.

Information
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death among men. In 2002 it is estimated that 30,200 men will die from prostate cancer and 189,000 men will be diagnosed (American Cancer Society Facts & Figures 2002). The incidence of prostate cancer increases with age with 75% of all prostate cancers being diagnosed in men over the age of 65.

Prostate Cancer Management
The critical focus for the treatment of prostate cancer is to treat those cancers where it is necessary, and not to treat those that do not need it.

Decisions about the best management of prostate cancer can be complex and depend upon the:

Pathology of the cancer (unlike other cancers, prostate cancer often progresses very slowly)
Stage of the disease (non-metastatic (localized or locally advanced), metastatic or hormone refractory)
Age and general health of the patients at diagnosis
The impact that treatment can have on quality of life, including sexual activity.
Patient's preference for treatment
PSA at diagnosis

Please visit the National Prostate Cancer Coalition for more information.

August is National Immunization Awareness Month
Vaccine-preventable disease levels are at or near record lows. However, we cannot take high immunization coverage levels for granted. To continue to protect America's children and adults, we must obtain maximum immunization coverage in all populations, establish effective partnerships, conduct reliable scientific research, implement immunization systems, and ensure vaccine safety.
Read more ....

Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC)

Overview

Several types of cancer can afflict the kidneys. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the most common form, accounts for approximately 85% of all kidney cancers. In RCC, malignant (cancerous) cells develop in the lining of the kidney's tubules and typically grow into a mass called a tumor. Single tumors are the norm, although more than one tumor can develop within one or both kidneys.

Early diagnosis is critically important. As with most cancers, the earlier kidney tumors are discovered, the better a patient's chances for survival. Tumors discovered at an early stage often respond well to treatment. Survival rates in such cases are high. Tumors that have grown large or metastasized (spread) through the bloodstream or lymphatic system to other parts of the body are much more difficult to treat and present a greatly increased risk for mortality.

Incidence and Prevalence

According to the National Cancer Institute, the highest incidence of kidney cancer occurs in the United States, Canada, Northern Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. The lowest incidence is found in Thailand, China, and the Philippines.

In the United States, kidney cancer accounts for approximately 3% of all adult cancers. According to the American Cancer Society, about 32,000 new cases are diagnosed and about 12,000 people die from the disease annually. Kidney cancer occurs most often in people between the ages of 50 and 70, and affects men almost twice as often as women.

Smokers develop renal cell carcinoma about twice as often as nonsmokers and develop cancer of the renal pelvis about 4 times as often. Not smoking is the most effective way to prevent kidney cancer and it is estimated that the elimination of smoking would reduce the rate of renal pelvis cancer by one-half and the rate of renal cell carcinoma by one-third.

Wilms’ tumor accounts for about 6% of childhood cancers and it is the most common type of kidney cancer in children. Incidence of Wilms’ tumor is higher in girls younger than the age of 5 and in African Americans.

The Kidneys

The kidneys are an essential part of the body's urinary system. Each kidney is composed of about one million microscopic "filtering packets" called glomeruli. The glomeruli remove uremic waste products from the blood. Each glomerulus connects to a long tube, called the tubule. Urine made by the glomerulus moves down the tubule. Together, the glomerulus and the tubule form a unit called a nephron. Each nephron connects to progressively larger tubular branches, until it reaches a large collection area called the calyx. The calices form the funnel-shaped portion of the upper ureter (renal pelvis). Urine moves from the renal pelvis to the ureters, the large tubes that connect the kidney to the bladder.

The kidneys produce three important hormones: erythropoietin (EPO), which triggers the production of red blood cells in bones; renin, which regulates blood pressure; and vitamin D, which helps regulate the body's metabolism of calcium necessary for healthy bones.