Urethral cancer surgery

Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for urethral cancer. However, it is not recommended among patients with metastatic urethral cancer.

• Surgery is the mainstay of therapy for urethral cancers in both women and men.
• The surgical approach depends on tumor stage and anatomic location.
• Tumor grade plays a less important role in treatment decisions.
• Although the traditional recommendation has been to achieve a 2-cm tumor-free margin, the optimal surgical margin has not been rigorously studied and is not well defined.^[1]
• The role of lymph node dissection is not clear in the absence of clinical involvement, and the role of prophylactic dissection is controversial.
• Ablative techniques, such as transurethral resection, electro-resection and fulguration, or laser vaporization-coagulation, are used to preserve organ function in cases of superficial anterior tumors, although the supporting literature is scant.

• 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
• Cystourethrectomy surgery
• Cystoprostatectomy surgery
• Anterior body cavity surgery
• Incomplete penectomy surgery
• Basic penectomy surgery

• Surgery is not recommended among patients with metastatic urethral cancer.