Urethral cancer overview
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Urethral cancer is a rare type of cancer originating from the urethra. It is more common in women than in men. Types of urethral cancer include transitional cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and adenocarcinoma. The prognosis varies with the depth of invasion, anatomical location, size, and stage of the tumor. The predominant therapy for urethral cancer is surgical resection. Adjunctive chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be required.
Classification
Urethral cancer may be classified according to cell typies into 3 subtypes: transitional cell, squamous cell, and adenocarcinoma. It may also be classified into distal urethral cancer, proximal urethral cancer and urethral cancer associated with invasive bladder cancer.
Causes
Urethral cancer may be caused by an infection of human papillomavirus.
Differential diagnosis
Urethral cancer must be differentiated from bladder cancer, cervical cancer, bladder stones, ureteral stones, cystitis, neurogenic bladder, and urethritis.
Epidemiology and Demographics
Urethral cancer is a rare disease that tends to affect African Americans. The incidence is approximately 0.43 per 100,000 in the united states for men, and approximately 0.15 per 100,000 for women.
Risk Factors
The risk factors of urethral cancer include history of bladder cancer, urinary tract infections, and sexually transmitted diseases.
Prognosis
The prognosis varies with the depth of invasion, anatomical location, size, and stage of tumor. Superficial tumors located in the distal urethra have the most favorable prognosis.
Staging
The staging of urethral cancer is based on the TNM system. Moreover, it may be classified into 5 subtypes based on the depth of invasion.
History and Symptoms
Symptoms of urethral cancer include hematuria, urinary hesitancy, frequent urination, incontinence, swelling in the groin, and a lump or thickness in the perineum or penis.
Laboratory Findings
Laboratory findings consistent with the diagnosis of urethral cancer include abnormal cells in urine cytology and blood in urinalysis.
Other Diagnostic Studies
Other diagnostic studies for urethral cancer include ureteroscopy and biopsy.
Medical Therapy
The predominant therapy for urethral cancer is surgical resection. Adjunctive chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be required. The optimal therapy depends on the stage at diagnosis and the anatomic location of the tumor.
Surgery
Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for urethral cancer. However, it is not recommended among patients with metastatic urethral cancer.