Urological Cancer Surgery in Dhaka
Surgical treatment for kidney, bladder, and prostate cancer, planned with care and explained clearly to you and your family.
Dr. Humayun Kabir Kallol, Consultant Urologist and Laparoscopic Surgeon at Continental Hospital PLC, Gulshan-2, Dhaka, provides surgical care for urological cancers, including keyhole operations when appropriate. As an experienced Urologist in Dhaka, he helps patients understand their treatment options and make informed decisions about their care.
- MBBS
- FCPS (Surgery)
- MS (Urology)
BM&DC Reg. No. A-45623
What does urological cancer surgery involve?
Urological cancer surgery removes cancer from the kidney, bladder, or prostate. Depending on the cancer and its stage, this can mean removing only the tumour, part of an organ, or the whole organ with nearby lymph nodes. Many of these operations can be done laparoscopically, through small cuts.
Cancer Treatment Is Planned as a Team
Surgery is often the main treatment for urological cancer, but it is rarely the only part of care. Some patients also need chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, or hormone treatment.
Dr. Kallol’s role is the surgical side of uro-oncology. When other treatments are needed before or after surgery, he works with medical and radiation oncologists so that each step happens in the right order.
For some cancers, surgery is not the best first choice. Some early prostate cancers are safely monitored, and some bladder cancers respond well to treatment through the urethra alone. You will be told honestly when that is the case.
Warning Signs That Should Be Checked
See a urologist without delay if you notice:
- Blood in the urine, even once and even without pain
- A mass or growth in the kidney or bladder reported on an ultrasound
- A raised PSA result
- Ongoing pain in the side or lower back with no clear cause
- Unexplained weight loss together with urinary symptoms
Most of these signs turn out to have a simpler cause, such as infection or stones. Checking them early is what matters, because cancers found early are usually easier to treat.
Kidney Cancer Surgery
Many kidney cancers cause no symptoms early on. They are often found by chance on an ultrasound or CT scan done for another reason, such as stomach pain.
A CT scan with contrast usually shows the size and position of the tumour, and whether it has spread. Some small kidney masses turn out to be non-cancerous, which is why the scan is reviewed carefully before any decision.
Partial Nephrectomy
For many small tumours, often under about 4 cm, only the tumour is removed and the rest of the kidney is kept. This protects long-term kidney function, which matters especially for people with diabetes, high blood pressure, or only one kidney.
Partial nephrectomy is technically demanding, because the kidney must be repaired after the tumour is removed. Whether it is possible depends on where the tumour sits within the kidney.
Radical Nephrectomy
When a tumour is large, sits deep in the centre of the kidney, or involves nearby structures, the whole kidney is removed along with its surrounding fat. This is called radical nephrectomy.
Both operations can often be done laparoscopically. You can read about how keyhole urology surgery works and how recovery compares with open surgery.
Bladder Cancer Treatment
Smoking is the most important risk factor for bladder cancer. Long-term exposure to arsenic in drinking water and to some industrial chemicals used in dyes, paints, and metal work also raise the risk.
For families in Bangladesh who have used tubewell water for many years, arsenic exposure is a real concern worth mentioning to your doctor.
Bladder tumours are first seen through a cystoscopy, a thin telescope passed into the bladder. The next step depends on how deep the tumour goes.
TURBT: Removing the Tumour Through the Urethra
TURBT stands for transurethral resection of bladder tumour. The tumour is removed from the inside, with no cut on the skin. Dr. Kallol performs TURBT using monopolar, bipolar, and laser techniques.
TURBT does two jobs at once. It removes the visible tumour, and the tissue sample shows whether the cancer has grown into the bladder muscle. That single finding shapes everything that follows.
Tumours that stay in the bladder lining are often treated with TURBT plus medicine placed directly into the bladder. Because these tumours can come back, regular check-up cystoscopies are an important part of care.
Radical Cystectomy
When cancer has grown into the bladder muscle, the bladder usually needs to be removed. In men, this includes the prostate and is called radical cystoprostatectomy. Nearby lymph nodes are removed as well.
In women, the operation may also involve removing the uterus and part of the vaginal wall, called anterior exenteration. Dr. Kallol performs these operations laparoscopically when suitable. Chemotherapy is often recommended before surgery.
Living After Bladder Removal
Once the bladder is removed, urine needs a new route out of the body. This is called urinary diversion, and the main options are:
- Ileal conduit: a short piece of bowel carries urine to a small opening on the abdomen, where it drains into a discreet bag.
- Continent urinary diversion: a pouch made from bowel stores urine inside the body, emptied at set times.
Many people return to work, travel, and pray normally with an ileal conduit. A stoma nurse teaches you how to manage the bag before you go home.
Prostate Cancer Treatment
Early prostate cancer usually causes no symptoms. It is most often suspected because of a raised PSA blood test or a change felt during an examination.
A raised PSA does not always mean cancer. Infection and an enlarged prostate can raise it too. An MRI scan and a biopsy usually confirm whether cancer is present and how aggressive it looks.
If you have urinary symptoms from a non-cancerous enlarged prostate, the prostate treatment page covers those options separately.
Not Every Prostate Cancer Needs Surgery
Some prostate cancers grow so slowly that they may never cause harm. For low-risk cancer, active surveillance, meaning regular PSA tests, scans, and sometimes repeat biopsies, is a recognised and safe approach.
For cancer that needs treatment, the main options are surgery and radiotherapy. Your age, general health, and the cancer’s risk level guide the choice.
Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy
Radical prostatectomy removes the whole prostate and the seminal vesicles, and the bladder is then rejoined to the urethra. It is mainly offered when the cancer is confined to the prostate.
It is important to know the likely effects in advance. Some urine leakage is common at first and usually improves over weeks to months with pelvic floor exercises. Erection problems are common afterwards, and recovery depends on age, prior function, and whether the nerves can be preserved.
Urological Cancer Operations at a Glance
Cancer
Kidney (small tumour)
Kidney (large or central tumour)
Bladder (early, in the lining)
Bladder (into the muscle)
Prostate (confined to the gland)
Operation
Partial nephrectomy
Radical nephrectomy
TURBT
Radical cystectomy with urinary diversion
Radical prostatectomy
What It Aims to Do
Remove the tumour and keep the rest of the kidney
Remove the whole kidney with the tumour
Remove the tumour and find out how deep it goes
Remove the bladder and nearby lymph nodes, then create a new urine route
Remove the whole prostate
Questions Worth Asking Before Cancer Surgery
Families often say they forgot to ask something important during the consultation. Writing questions down beforehand helps. Useful ones include:
- What stage is the cancer, and how sure are we?
- Is surgery the right first treatment, or should another treatment come first?
- Can part of the organ be saved?
- Can this be done laparoscopically in my case?
- What are the main risks for someone with my health conditions?
- Will I need chemotherapy or radiotherapy afterwards?
- What will follow-up look like over the next few years?
A second opinion is a normal part of cancer care. A good surgeon will not take offence if you ask for one.
After Surgery: The Pathology Report and Follow-Up
The removed tissue is examined in a laboratory, and the report usually arrives one to two weeks later. It confirms the cancer type, its grade, and whether the edges are clear. It also shows whether any lymph nodes were affected.
This report decides whether further treatment is needed. Dr. Kallol goes through it with you in plain language.
Follow-up continues for several years with scans, blood tests, or cystoscopies, depending on the cancer. Keeping these appointments is one of the most useful things you can do after treatment.
Surgical Experience in Urological Cancer
Dr. Kallol’s training began in general surgery, with an FCPS in Surgery, before his MS in Urology at the National Institute of Kidney Diseases & Urology (NIKDU).
He then spent five years as a urologist at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, where advanced kidney and bladder cancers are common. His operative work includes laparoscopic radical and partial nephrectomy, radical prostatectomy, and radical cystoprostatectomy with pelvic lymph node removal.
He has shared a recorded laparoscopic right radical nephrectomy, performed at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, on his YouTube channel. More details are on his profile and qualifications page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is blood in the urine a sign of cancer?
It can be, but most cases have other causes, such as infection or stones. Painless blood in the urine is the most common first sign of bladder cancer, so it should always be checked by a urologist, even if it happens only once.
What does a high PSA level mean?
A high PSA means the prostate is releasing more of this protein than expected. Cancer is one possible cause, but an enlarged prostate and infection are common too. An MRI and sometimes a biopsy are used to find the reason.
Can kidney cancer be treated without removing the whole kidney?
Often, yes. For many small tumours, partial nephrectomy removes only the tumour and keeps the healthy part of the kidney. Whether this is possible depends on the tumour’s size and position.
What is TURBT?
TURBT is an operation that removes a bladder tumour through the urethra, without any skin cut. It treats early bladder tumours and shows how deep the cancer has grown, which guides further treatment.
What happens after the bladder is removed?
Urine is redirected through a urinary diversion. The most common is an ileal conduit, where urine drains into a small bag on the abdomen. Another option is an internal pouch made from bowel.
Does every prostate cancer need surgery?
No. Low-risk prostate cancer can often be monitored safely with active surveillance. Surgery or radiotherapy is recommended when the cancer is more likely to grow or spread.
What are the side effects of prostate cancer surgery?
Temporary urine leakage is common and usually improves over months. Erection problems are common and depend on age and nerve preservation. Semen is no longer produced, so natural fertility ends.
Can urological cancer surgery be done laparoscopically?
Many kidney, bladder, and prostate cancer operations can be done laparoscopically when the cancer and the patient’s health allow it. Very large or advanced tumours may need open surgery.
Will I need chemotherapy after cancer surgery?
It depends on the cancer type, stage, and pathology report. Some patients need no further treatment, while others benefit from chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or radiotherapy, planned with an oncologist.
What reports should I bring to a cancer consultation?
Bring all scan reports with the images or CDs, biopsy and pathology reports, PSA and kidney function tests, and a list of current medicines. Bringing a family member to the visit also helps.
Book a Consultation
Whether you have a confirmed diagnosis or a scan that needs explaining, a specialist review can clarify your options. You are welcome to bring a family member to the consultation.
Please bring scan reports with the images or CDs, biopsy slides or reports if available, PSA and creatinine results, and your current prescriptions.