Urethral cancer is cancer

Cancer

Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...

 originating from the urethra

Urethra

In anatomy, the urethra is a tube that connects the urinary bladder to the genitals for the removal of fluids out of the body. In males, the urethra travels through the penis, and carries semen as well as urine...

. Cancer in this location is rare, and the most common type is papillary transitional cell carcinoma

Transitional cell carcinoma

Transitional cell carcinoma is a type of cancer that typically occurs in the urinary system: the kidney, urinary bladder, and accessory organs. It is the most common type of bladder cancer and cancer of the ureter, urethra, and urachus...

.

Symptoms

Symptoms that may be caused by urethral cancer include:

• Bleeding from the urethra or blood in the urine.
• Weak or interrupted flow of urine.
• Urination occurs often.
• A lump or thickness in the perineum or penis.
• Discharge from the urethra.
• Enlarged lymph nodes in the groin area.
• Most common site being bulbomembranous urethra.

Risk factors

• Having a history of bladder cancer
  Bladder cancer
  Bladder cancer is any of several types of malignant growths of the urinary bladder. It is a disease in which abnormal cells multiply without control in the bladder. The bladder is a hollow, muscular organ that stores urine; it is located in the pelvis...
  
  .
• Having conditions that cause chronic, swollen, reddened part in the urethra.
• Being 60 or older.
• Being a white female.

Diagnosis

In male urethral cancer, diagnosis is established by transurethral biopsy. In women the diagnosis is established in much the same way. Types of urethral cancer include transitional cell carcinoma

Transitional cell carcinoma

Transitional cell carcinoma is a type of cancer that typically occurs in the urinary system: the kidney, urinary bladder, and accessory organs. It is the most common type of bladder cancer and cancer of the ureter, urethra, and urachus...

, squamous cell carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma , occasionally rendered as "squamous-cell carcinoma", is a histologically distinct form of cancer. It arises from the uncontrolled multiplication of malignant cells deriving from epithelium, or showing particular cytological or tissue architectural characteristics of...

, adenocarcinoma

Adenocarcinoma

Adenocarcinoma is a cancer of an epithelium that originates in glandular tissue. Epithelial tissue includes, but is not limited to, the surface layer of skin, glands and a variety of other tissue that lines the cavities and organs of the body. Epithelium can be derived embryologically from...

, and melanoma

Melanoma

Melanoma is a malignant tumor of melanocytes. Melanocytes are cells that produce the dark pigment, melanin, which is responsible for the color of skin. They predominantly occur in skin, but are also found in other parts of the body, including the bowel and the eye...

.

Treatment

Surgery is the most common treatment for cancer of the urethra. One of the following types of surgery may be done:

• Open excision surgery.
• Electro-resection with flash surgery.
• Laser surgery
  Laser surgery
  Laser surgery is surgery using a laser to cut tissue instead of a scalpel. Examples include the use of a laser scalpel in otherwise conventional surgery, and soft tissue laser surgery, in which the laser beam vaporizes soft tissue with high water content...
  
  .
• Cystourethrectomy surgery.
• Cystoprostatectomy surgery.
• Anterior body cavity surgery.
• Incomplete or basic penectomy
  Penectomy
  Penectomy is the surgical removal of the penis for medical or personal reasons.- Medical Reasons for Penectomy :Cancer, for example, sometimes necessitates removal of part or of the penis. The amount of the penis removed depends on the severity of the cancer. Some men have only the tip of their...
  
  surgery.

Chemotherapy as a form of Urethral Cancer Treatment

Chemotherapy involves using drugs to destroy urethral cancer cells. It is a systemic urethral cancer treatment (i.e., destroys urethral cancer cells throughout the body) that is administered orally or intravenously (through a vein; IV). Medications are often used in combination to destroy urethral cancer that has metastasized. Commonly used drugs include cisplatin (Platinol®), vincristine (Oncovin®), and methotrexate (Trexall®).

Side effects include the following:

Anemia (causing fatigue, weakness)
Nausea and vomiting
Loss of appetite (anorexia)
Hair loss (alopecia)
Mouth sores
Increased risk for infection
Shortness of breath
Excessive bleeding and bruising