A Review of the Most Significant Components of the Evaluation and Management of Primary Urethral Carcinoma

Abstract

Primary urethral carcinoma (PUC) is a rare malignancy with limited treatment options. The purpose of this overview is to outline current strategies for this patient setting. Most of the current literature contains retrospective studies with small sample sizes and non-intuitive treatment instructions. The difficulty in treating this disease begins with diagnosis. Proximal (posterior) tumors may be missed until late in the disease because they are difficult to palpate during the physical examination. Early-stage distant tumors may also be misdiagnosed as infections, delaying treatment and potentially worsening prognosis. Our patient was diagnosed as having primary urethral cancer in the First Clinical Hospital of Yichang by cystoscopy and biopsy. Due to her advanced age, poor health and economic conditions, she refused to undergo radical surgery. Since there is no clear guideline for the treatment course of primary urethral cancer clinically, different hospitals have different surgical methods and postoperative concomitant treatments, resulting in different prognosis effects. Additional studies with standardized treatment approaches for patients, preferably in a randomized prospective controlled setting, are needed to advance evidence-based treatment approaches.