Skene duct adenocarcinoma in a patient with an elevated serum prostate-specific antigen level: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Female urethral carcinoma is a very rare disease that accounts for 0.02% of malignant diseases in female patients. CASE PRESENTATION: A 70-year-old Asian Japanese woman with a urethral tumor was referred to our hospital to undergo further examination. Biopsy specimens showed urethral adenocarcinoma that was positive for prostate-specific antigen. Her serum prostate-specific antigen level before surgery was 34.4 ng/ml. Urethral tumor resection with pelvic lymph node resection was performed. Her serum prostate-specific antigen level decreased to < 0.01 ng/ml after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: We report a very rare case of Skene duct adenocarcinoma in a female patient with serum prostate-specific antigen elevation.

Pathomorphological Analysis and Evaluation of Microcirculation in Polyps of the External Urethral Meatus in Women.

Combinations of various factors of polypogenesis determine the formation of a mixed structural phenotype of urethral polyps consisting of heterogeneous changes of the epithelium (hyperplasia, metaplasia, and erosions), inflammatory cell infiltration of the stroma, and dilatation of the venous plexus vessels. Urogenital infections are associated with the predominance of symptoms of inflammation, high serum levels of IL-1ß and TNF-α, more extensive areas of inflammatory infiltration and subepithelial microvascular bed, predominance of hyperemic form of microcirculatory disorders. The combination of hyperplastic reactions of the epithelial layer with neoangiogenesis and myofibroblast proliferation in the subepithelial zone confirms the key role of dysregeneratory hyperplasia in the mechanisms of polypogenesis.

Phyllodes tumor of the verumontanum: a case report.

The current report presents the case of a 42-year-old male with extraordinarily salient urination difficulty that had lasted 6 months. Transrectal ultrasonography and pelvic magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated prostatic hyperplasia and cyst. PSA level was 20.65 (>4) µg/L in the patient. Transrectal prostatic biopsy revealed benign prostatic hyperplasia. He agreed to receive plasmakinetic resection of the prostate. During operation a lobulated lump was unexpectedly found on the verumontanum, with the prostate macroscopically normal. Complete tumor excision was performed and pathological assessment indicated phyllodes tumor of the verumontanum. The patient had an uneventful post-operative course and recovered well. The diagnosis, histological classification, treatment, and prognosis of this case are presented. It is necessary to perform cystoscopy to exclude verumontanum tumor even when all imaging examinations indicate prostate hyperplasia, especially in young males. Virtual slides: The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1868931661161758.

Prostate-specific antigen response after definitive radiotherapy for Skene's gland adenocarcinoma resembling prostate adenocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: To assess prostate-specific antigen response after definitive radiotherapy in a patient with localized Skene's gland adenocarcinoma resembling prostate adenocarcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 71-year-old patient was evaluated for a 2 year history of painless hematuria and found to have a localized Skene's gland adenocarcinoma resembling prostate adenocarcinoma with a pre-therapy PSA of 54.52 ng/ul. She elected to undergo definitive radiotherapy holding radical surgery for salvage. She received 73.8 Gy of intensity modulated radiotherapy in 41 fractions. Serum PSA, imaging, and cystoscopy were followed at 6 month intervals for 2.5 years. RESULTS: The PSA decreased to 0.65 ng/ul 32 months after treatment, her clinical symptoms resolved, and on imaging and exam she has no evidence of residual disease. The PSA half life was 6.16 months (r(2) = 0.97). CONCLUSIONS: For this rare tumor we show that PSA is a reliable marker for disease response and also show that definitive radiotherapy can be an option for organ and functional preservation in patients with localized disease. Cases of periurethral adenocarcinomas should be pathologically screened to assess if they are of Skene's gland origin, as our results suggest a radiotherapy treatment paradigm may be appropriate management in a select subgroup of women with periurethral adenocarcinoma.

Prostate cancer involving the bladder neck: recurrence-free survival and implications for AJCC staging modification. American Joint Committee on Cancer.

OBJECTIVES: In the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM staging system, prostate cancer involving the bladder neck after radical prostatectomy is considered pT4 disease, suggesting a high risk of recurrence. The recurrence risk with pathologic invasion of the bladder neck, however, has not been definitively compared with that associated with extra-organ disease. We therefore compared the recurrence risk in cases with bladder neck involvement with that of cases with extraprostatic extension and/or seminal vesicle invasion. METHODS: The study cohort was composed of 1123 men with clinically localized prostate cancer treated with prostatectomy as monotherapy. The preoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, bladder neck involvement, margin positivity, Gleason score, and other pathologic categories were assessed as covariates contributing to the PSA-recurrence risk in univariate and multivariable models. RESULTS: Bladder neck involvement was found in 60 (5%) of 1123 cases. In univariate analysis, the bladder neck was the site-specific margin with the greatest PSA-recurrence risk of focal involvement (relative risk 1.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15 to 2.00, P = 0.0030). The PSA-recurrence relative risk with extraprostatic extension was 3.05 (95% CI 2.13 to 4.38, P <0.0001) and with seminal vesicle invasion was 8.59 (95% CI 5.76 to 12.82, P <0.0001). In the multivariable model, the PSA-recurrence risk with bladder neck involvement (relative risk 1.19, 95% CI 0.72 to 1.96, P = 0.5) was not a significant independent prognostic factor. Extraprostatic extension (relative risk 2.25, 95% CI 1.54 to 3.27, P <0.0001) and seminal vesicle invasion (relative risk 4.12, 95% CI 2.57 to 6.62, P <0.0001) were significant independent predictors of PSA recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Any staging system should be evidence based. The current AJCC system for staging bladder neck involvement, however, is contrary to the available evidence. Reclassification of bladder neck involvement as part of the pT3 category should be considered.

[Peroperative biopsy of the sub-apical urethra during prostatectomy for cancer]. / Etude par biopsie extemporanée de l'urètre sous-apexien au cours de la prostatectomie pour cancer.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Between 35 to 45% of radical prostatectomies (RP) will show positive margins and approximately 50% of patients with positive margins will progress following RP. Peroperative diagnosis of positive margin possibly can improve the currability of RP. We report here the incidence and management of positive urethral margins diagnosed by frozen sections during radical prostatectomy. METHODS: Frozen sections were performed systematically to analyse the surgical margins during 130 RP performed for localized prostate cancer from january 1989 to december 1993. Peroperative analysis of distal (urethral) and proximal (bladder neck) margins, as well as posterior (Denonvilliers fascia) margins, and every surrounding tissue that was macroscopically abnormal were performed. RESULTS: Analysis of the distal margins showed no prostatic gland in 68 cases (52%), normal prostatic glands in 56 cases (43%) and neoplastic prostate glands in 6 cases (5%). Further urethral sections with frozen section analysis were performed in 62 cases until the distal margin was free of prostatic glands. Three out of six patients with positive urethral margins had another positive margin that was excised as well. Five out of six patients with positive urethral margins were pT3, NO, MO and one pT2, NO, MO. In the group of patients, with positive urethral margins, the average preoperative PSA serum level was 37 ng/ml and the average tumor weight was 14 g. Postoperative pelvic radiation therapy (45 grays) was performed in 5 of these patients. The mean follow-up is 36 months (12-68). PSA serum level is undetectable in 4 cases, and 0.4 ng/ml in 1 case. Urinary PSA level is undetectable in 5 out of 6 cases. CONCLUSION: Peroperative analysis of surgical margins, and particularly urethral margins, during RP allows to a better staging and to perform any tumor excision complement if possible. Surgical margins analysis when performed during surgery should help for the choice of the most adapted surgical procedure. In our experience, nerve-sparing RP are performed only when surgical margins are negative on frozen sections.

Skene's gland adenocarcinoma with increased serum level of prostate-specific antigen.

Skene's (periurethral) gland carcinoma is a rare neoplasm accounting for less than 0.003% of all genital tract malignancies in females. Generally, adenocarcinomas of the female urethra are assumed to arise from the periurethral glands, the female homologue of the prostate. A case of Skene's gland adenocarcinoma without mucosal urethral involvement is presented. The histologic features of this tumor closely resembled those of prostatic adenocarcinoma. In contrast, clear cell and columnar/mucinous variants of female urethral adenocarcinomas have been described previously. Perhaps this signifies different biologic processes in the development of Skene's/periurethral and urethral adenocarcinomas in females. Additionally, we performed immunohistochemical staining that was reactive for prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Preoperatively, the serum level of PSA was increased and promptly decreased after surgical excision of the lesion. Therefore, preoperative and postoperative monitoring of serum PSA titers in patients with adenocarcinomas of the female urethra or periurethral glands (or both) should be considered.

[Status epilepticus in MVEC chemotherapy of urothelial cancer]. / Status epilepticus unter MVEC-Chemotherapie eines Urothelkarzinoms.

We present a patient with an urethral urethelial carcinoma (T3N2M0) treated by chemotherapy with methotrexate, vinblastine, epirubicin and cisplatin, which induced a non-convulsive status epilepticus. In this report the possible mechanism for this phenomenon and its management are discussed.

Squamous cell carcinoma antigen in genitourinary tumors.

We have evaluated the serum levels of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) antigen in patients with adenocarcinoma of the kidney, adenocarcinoma of the prostate, germ cell tumors of the testis, transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, and SCC of the penis, urethra, and bladder. Serum SCC antigen levels were elevated in 5 of 11 patients (45%) with metastatic SCC of the penis, and in the 3 patients for whom serial determinations were made, the serum levels correlated correctly with the progression of disease or response to treatment. The antigen was elevated in 1 of 3 patients with SCC of the urethra, and 1 apparent false-positive value was observed in a patient with adenocarcinoma of the prostate. Otherwise, no SCC antigen elevations were noted among 10 patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the prostate, 8 with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the kidney, 11 with metastatic transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, 8 with metastatic nonseminomatous germ cell tumors of the testis, and 2 patients with metastatic SCC of the bladder.

Adenocarcinoma of Skene's duct associated with a systemic coagulopathy.

Adenocarcinoma of the urethra is a rare neoplasm which is believed to arise from the periurethral ducts. Four such cases have been diagnosed at our institution during the past 25 years and their clinical courses are summarized in this report. In one patient, a disseminated coagulopathy with a predominantly fibrinolytic component developed. The pathologic mechanism of fibrinolysis is addressed and a successful approach to the medical management of this confusing coagulopathy is outlined.