Urethral Cancer – Symptoms, Causes and Treatments!

Urethral cancer is the rarest of all urological cancers, only 1 or 2 people in 100 cancer patients have this type of cancer it is a little dangerous. It is more common in men than women. Some people with urethral cancer  don’t have any symptoms, but most do.

What is urethral cancer?

It is a disease in which malignant (cancerous) cells form in the tissues of the urethra.

Symptoms of urethral cancer :

In the early stages, there may not be many symptoms. Also, as the cancer grows, some patients may notice a lump or growth in the urethra. Others may notice pain or bleeding when they urinate. If the tumor narrows or narrows the urethra, you may have trouble having a bowel movement, or you may pass blood from the urethra.

Causes of urethral cancer :

The cause is not known. But long-standing swelling and infection can increase the risk. In addition, many men with diabetes have previously been treated for urethral stricture disease or sexually transmitted infections .

Many women with it have been treated before for urethral caruncle (mass), urethral diverticulum (pouch), or chronic UTI. In both men and women, the human papilloma virus ( HPV ) has been linked to water .

Treatments for urethral cancer :

There are options for all patients with skin grouped into 3 categories :

• Surgery;
• Radiation;
• Chemotherapy.

Surgery is the most common treatment for urethral cancer . There are many different methods that can be used, depending on whether the cancer is superficial or invasive.

1. Superficial cancers:

If the tumor has not grown into nearby tissue, it can be removed with a tool such as a cystoscope. The tool is moved into the urethra and an electrical loop can be used to remove the tumor.

2. Invasive tumors:

Some patients may need surgery to remove the growth. Most of the time, urethral cancer  in the anterior urethra (the part closest to the outside) is treated well with local surgery. Tumors involving the posterior urethra (the part closest to the bladder) often need more radical surgery to get the best result.

3. Anterior urethra in men:

Men with a tumor that only involves that part of the urethra (inside the penis) may need part or all of the penis removed. This depends on where the tumor is and how it can be removed.

Also, the goal is to leave enough tissue to allow a man to stand up while urinating. If the tumor is growing in the erectile tissues of the penis, the entire penis may need to be removed. In this case, a small hole is made at the bottom of the scrotum to allow for annulment. This means that the patient will sit up to urinate.

4. Posterior urethra in men:

If the tumor is in this area, the bladder and prostate, part of the bony pelvis, and the penis are at risk. If surgery is needed to remove these organs, a piece of intestine is used to make a pouch. In addition, the kidneys can then drain into the pouch.

This pouch can be incontinent (you will need to use a stoma bag) or continent (you will need to drain the pouch several times a day with a small catheter). Deciding which type depends on other health issues and your preference.

5. Posterior urethra in women:

With this type of tumor, surgery is necessary. Because the female urethra is so short, it’s rare to have a tumor small enough and far enough away from the urethral sphincter (the muscle that controls the release of urine) to remove it and still be able to urinate normally.

The outer third (or about 7 mm) of the urethra can be removed without much difficulty. Unfortunately, most women with Urethral Cancer need more involved surgery. The urethra, bladder and part of the vagina are often removed. A pouch can be made with bowel to drain the kidneys. This bag would then be used to remove urine from the body.

6. Lymph node removal:

Lymph nodes in the pelvis are often removed in men and women who have these surgeries. Some people may have swelling in their legs. This is because these nodes often drain fluid from blood vessels into the legs. Once these nodes are removed, fluid can build up. If this becomes bothersome, see your doctor.

Radiation destroys cancer cells. In addition, radiation therapy can be used alone, with surgery, or with chemotherapy. While it may allow you to keep your urethra and organs close together, this method has side effects like:

• Bladder pain;
• Incontinence;
• bleeding;
• Rectal (or vaginal in women) pain and bleeding
• Narrowing of the urethra, causing signs of urine blockage.

These drugs kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy is most often used when the cancer has spread to other organs or parts of the body. It may be offered before surgery or radiation. It can also be used after other treatments to help kill cells outside the target area of ​​surgery or radiation.

The type of drug used depends on:

• Also, the risk of the tumor spreading;
• The amount of metastasis (tumors outside the urethra);
• Also, the specific type of tumor (made of squamous or urothelial cells).

Every chemotherapy drug has side effects. Patients are closely watched by an oncologist (a doctor who focuses on cancer treatment) to avoid major problems.

After treatment for urethral cancer :

Even after aggressive therapy with chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, urethral cancer  can come back. In addition, it is important to have lifelong follow-up visits with your healthcare team. It is important to detect recurrence early, so one or two visits per year are recommended for:

• Physical exam;
• In addition, laboratory work;
• Computed tomography;
• Also, chest X-ray.

If you still have your urethra, you will need more frequent follow-up visits. It is recommended that you visit your doctor every 3 months after the procedure to:

• Cistoscopia;
• Also, urethral lavage;
• Retrograde urethrogram;
• Also, CT scan.

Recurrence:

The likelihood that urethral cancer will  come back after treatment depends on the stage and location of the initial tumor. In addition, the chance of the cancer returning is lower with the disease at a low stage and in the anterior urethra.