Male urethral carcinoma: analysis of treatment outcome

To evaluate our experience with primary carcinomas of the male urethra and to analyze the impact of tumor variables and treatment on overall, disease-specific, local recurrence-free, and metastasis-free survival.

Between 1958 and 1996, we identified 46 men with primary carcinoma of the bulbar and anterior urethra. The median follow-up was 125 months (1 to 336). The patients were stratified by stage, nodal status, histologic type, treatment, type of surgery, site of disease, year at diagnosis, and smoking status.

The overall survival and disease-specific survival rates at 5 years were 42% and 50%, respectively. The recurrence-free survival and metastasis-free survival rates at 5 years were 51% and 56%, respectively. The overall survival rate was 83% for superficial disease versus 36% for invasive tumors. The overall survival rate was 26% for tumors of the bulbar urethra versus 69% for tumors of the anterior urethra.

Current modalities of treatment are ineffective for local control and survival. New treatment strategies are needed for urethral cancer.