V08_No_3_Final.pdf Urology for People 254 Urology Journal Vol 8 No 3 Summer 2011 What’s Up in Urology Journal, Summer 2011? Urol J. 2011;8:254. www.uj.unrc.ir KIDNEY STONES Kidney stones, one of the most painful diseases, have beset humans for centuries. Unfortunately, kidney stones are one of the most common diseases of the urinary tract. Each year, people make almost 3 million visits to health care providers and more than half a million people go to emergency rooms for kidney stone problems. Kidney stones are a common cause of blood in the urine (hematuria) and often severe pain in the abdomen, flank, or groin. Anyone may develop a kidney stone, but people with certain diseases and conditions or those who are taking certain medications are more susceptible to its development. When the stone sits in the kidney, it rarely causes symptoms, but when it falls into the ureter, it blocks urine follow. As the kidney produces urine, pressure builds up behind the stone and causes the kidney to swell. This pressure is what causes the pain of a kidney stone (renal colic), but it also helps push the stone along the course of the ureter downward. When the stone enters the urinary bladder, the obstruction in the ureter is relieved and the symptoms of a kidney stone are resolved. See page 185 for full-text article BLADDER CANCER The inside of the bladder is covered with a urine-proof lining, called the urothelium, which prevents urine being absorbed back into the body. The cells of this lining are called transitional cells or urothelial cells. Men get bladder cancer much more commonly than women. The most common type of the bladder cancer, urothelial carcinoma, is very strongly associated with cigarette smoking. About 50% of all the bladder cancers in men and 30% in women may be caused by cigarette smoking. The longer and heavier the exposure, the greater are the chances of developing bladder cancer. The most common symptoms of the bladder cancer are as follows: Blood in the urine (hematuria), pain or burning during urination without evidence of urinary tract infection, and change in the bladder habits. Having these symptoms does not necessarily mean you have bladder cancer. If you have any of these symptoms, you should see your health-care provider right away. See page 203 for full-text article Urology for People is a section in the Urology Journal for providing people with a summary of what is published in this journal and describing urological entities in a simple language. Important Note. The findings in medical papers are usually not directly applicable in clinical practice and patients should consult their physicians before any utilization of the results of medical studies.