Urology

Urology HealthRenal Cancer

Renal Cancer Treatment

With the increasing popularity of health checks and body imaging, many cases of renal cancer can be detected at an early stage, where surgical resection has a cure rate exceeding 90%.  Surgical options include total nephrectomy or partial nephrectomy. Total nephrectomy involves the complete removal of the entire kidney along with the tumor, while partial nephrectomy involves removing only the tumor while preserving the remaining normal kidney tissue. Studies have found that if the renal tumor is 5 cm or smaller, total nephrectomy and partial nephrectomy have similar cure rates. Furthermore, partial nephrectomy allows for the preservation of more normal kidney tissue, reducing the chances of future chronic kidney failure and the need for dialysis, improving the long-term survival rates for patients.   (Principles of partial nephrectomy)   CUHK Medical Centre has acquired the latest software for 3D imaging reconstruction for partial nephrectomy. It enables precise analysis of renal vascular anatomy, tumor location and surrounding structures for improved surgical outcomes.   Renal Cancer Treatment Options Minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery Through a few small skin incisions on the abdomen the doctor completes the radical nephrectomy or partial nephrectomy procedure. Post-operative pain is minimised, and patient recovery is further enhanced.  Robotic assisted laparoscopic surgery Suitable for partial nephrectomy for larger and more complex renal tumors. Robotic instruments are used for more precise tumor excision and haemostasis, reducing intra-operative blood loss and time of operation. Open radical nephrectomy If the tumor is too large, the physician will perform a radical nephrectomy using the conventional open surgical approach to completely excise the renal cancer.   Percutaneous tumor ablation Can be used to treat small (less than 4 cm) renal tumor if the patient is not fit for operation. Commonly used percutaneous renal tumor ablation techniques include cryoablation and radiofrequency ablation.    Cryoablation Cryoablation utilises argon-helium gas and the Joule Thomson effect to produce freezing and thawing effects within the tumor, hence killing tumor cells. Radiofrequency ablation In radiofrequency ablation, the fine needle put into tumor releases radiofrequency energy and generates heat energy within the planned treatment area, raising the temperature to over 60 degrees Celsius to achieve the effect of killing tumor cells.   Late Stage or Metastatic Renal Cancer Postop recurrence rate for renal cell carcinoma with lymph node metastasis or high grade cancer is still relatively high. Apart from regular imaging surveillance, these types of high-risk patients can now undergo adjuvant immunotherapy to reduce the chance of recurrence. As for late stage or metastatic renal cancer, conventional chemotherapy or target therapy are not sufficient for disease control. In recent years, newer combination therapy with PD-L1 inhibitors are bringing new hopes to suitable patients for improved survival outcomes.

RTHK ProgrammeHealthpedia Series

陰莖癌與睪丸癌 (Only available in Cantonese)

(Only Available in Cantonese) [傳媒訪問] 香港電台：【精靈一點】陰莖癌與睪丸癌 陰莖癌與睪丸癌在香港雖然不常見，但由於它們的徵狀與皮膚病、性病及其他生殖器官疾病相似，加上心理壓力，男士一般會選擇忽視、或誤以為可自行痊癒、因而耽誤治療。中大醫院泌尿外科專科醫生敖章鐘醫生指，陰莖癌一般出現於60歲以上的男士，若果包皮或龜頭長期出現紅疹、潰瘍、損口等，便有機會是罹患陰莖癌的先兆。隨著病情加深，患者的陰莖會出現分泌物、異味、腫脹，甚至癌細胞會開始轉移至腹股溝淋巴。而與陰莖癌不同，大部份睪丸癌患者都是40歲以下的男性。他們除了會感到陰囊沉重及發脹外，若癌細胞經已擴散至胃部及肺部、他們會胃口轉差、消瘦、或出現肺積水導致呼吸困難。敖醫生亦會於訪問中與大家分享陰莖癌與睪丸癌患者能選擇的治療方案，包括外科手術切除、化療或放射治療等，以及在接受治療後對患者生育能力的影響。 重溫連結︰ https://bit.ly/CUHKMC_RTHK_NCC_20240110

RTHK ProgrammeHealthpedia Series

腎癌 (Only available in Cantonese)

(Only Available in Cantonese) [傳媒訪問] 香港電台：【精靈一點】腎癌 近年腎癌的確診數字有上升趨勢，當中不少個案是從患者的身體檢查中發現。中大醫院泌尿外科專科醫生敖章鐘醫生指，腎臟位於人體較深入的位置，亦被重重脂肪包圍；而早期的腎癌幾乎是沒有任何症狀，發病者主要為40歲以上男性。腎癌的病徵包括腰部出現脹痛及有血尿等，而病人若同時開始消瘦、容易疲倦、氣喘及出現貧血，便有機會是腎癌已進入晚期及開始擴散的跡象。敖醫生亦會於節目中討論腎癌的高風險因素，並講解第一至四期腎癌的徵狀與相應的治療方法﹐包括手術、混合免疫治療及配合標靶治療藥物進行的免疫治療等。 重溫連結︰ https://bit.ly/CUHKMC_RTHK_NCC_20231023