Management of the patient with bladder cancer. Urethral recurrence

Urethral recurrence develops in roughly 10% of patients following cystectomy for bladder cancer and appears to be another manifestation of the multicentric nature of TCC. By far the greatest risk factor for recurrence is tumor involvement of the prostate in the radical cystectomy specimen, with prostatic stromal invasion more ominous than either ductal or mucosal involvement. For patients in whom orthotopic diversion is contemplated, precystectomy screening of the prostate is recommended by means of deep transurethral biopsy. Surveillance of the urethra following cystectomy should be done by urethral wash cytology at 6-month to yearly intervals and must be continued for life. Management of documented urethral recurrence should be by total urethrectomy, including the meatus.