TRANSITIONAL-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE URETHRA IN MEN AND WOMEN ASSOCIATED WITH BLADDER-CANCER

Multifocal tumor occurrence in the entire urinary tract in time and sp ace is a well-recognized characteristic of transitional cell carcinoma . Synchronous and asynchronous urethral transitional cell carcinoma, i n relation to bladder cancer in male and female patients, is the subje ct of the present mini-review. It is imperative to rule out male and f emale patients having a high risk for urethral involvement or urethral recurrence. In male patients, prostatic urethral involvement and stro mal invasion mainly due to in situ extension of carcinoma seems to be the most important risk factor. In female patients, bladder neck invol vement by cancer seems most important. By excluding male and female bl adder cancer patients having these characteristics for simultaneous ur ethrectomy, other patients are good candidates for reconstruction of t he urinary tract after cystectomy by an orthotopic neobladder which wi ll offer a good quality of life to bladder cancer patients.