Cancer of the urethra in women: experience of the National Institute of Cancer of Brazil: 1992-1997

Objective: Describe the results of surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy for treatment of primary malignant neoplasms of female urethra.

Methods: Since 1982, 31 patients with urethral cancer were evaluated at our institution (follow-up ranging from 0 to 127 months). Ten patients were treated with external beam irradiation and 1 patient received preoperative therapy after surgery. Two patients refused treatment and 1 received chemotherapy. Three patients presented with disseminated metastatic disease at the first examination received exclusively palliative treatment.

Results: Five patients have survived from 3 to 10 years following treatment without recurrence. Of 31 patients 18 developed distant metastases during the first 24 months of follow-up irrespective of treatment employed.

Conclusions: With exception of primary melanoma, prognosis was not related to histologic features. Patients who underwent surgery and radiotherapy had a better survival rate than did those who received radiotherapy alone. Total urethrectomy with appendico-vesicostomy can be an alternative surgical method for entire urethral ivnasive lesions without cystourethrectomy and preserving urinary continence.