Anatomic levels: Important landmarks in penectomy specimens - A detailed anatomic and histologic study based on examination of 44 cases

The majority of squamous cell carcinomas of the penis arise from the glans, and the prognosis is related significantly to the depth of invasion of cru cial anatomic landmarks. Accurate information related to this can only be o btained when specimens are carefully evaluated grossly. Most pathologists i n developed countries encounter resected specimens of penile carcinoma infr equently, and gross evaluation is occasionally suboptimal, potentially prev enting obtaining reliable prognostic information. The four distinct levels of the glans penis are the epithelium, lamina propria, corpus spongiosum, a nd corpus cavernosum. A simple method for pathologic, evaluation of the gla ns is presented. Noteworthy findings in our study of a South American popul ation were that the distance from the lamina propria to tunica albuginea ra nged from 7 to 13 to 6 min at the dorsal, central, and ventral areas of the corpus spongiosum, respectively. The most distal portion of the corpus cav ernosum was located within the glans in 34 of 44 cases and in the body of t he penis in only 10. The corpus spongiosum was thinner in the former cases. These anatomic variations may bear on prognosis.