Clear cell adenocarcinoma of the female urethra: clinical and ultrastructural study suggesting a unique neoplasm

Urethral diverticulum carcinoma in females-a case series and review of the English and Japanese literature

The aims of our study were to describe our case series of three urethral diverticulum carcinomas (UDC) in women and to review the literature on UDC in females to determine patient characteristics, presenting symptoms and outcomes along with optimal investigations and treatment modalities. A literature search was performed utilizing Medline, EMBASE and the Cochrane library for all papers including case reports on UDC in women published to date. The results along with those of our three cases are detailed. A total of 126 cases of UDC in women have been reported; 75% adenocarcinoma (Adenoca), 15% transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) and 10% squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Median age at presentation was 53 years (range, 14-81 years). The commonest presenting symptoms were bleeding and retention. Cystoscopy, MRI and trans-urethral biopsy were the commonest methods of diagnosis. Treatment was radiotherapy +/- chemotherapy alone in 21%, local excision +/- radiotherapy in 44%, urethrectomy in 3% and anterior exenteration +/- radiotherapy in 32%. At last follow-up 63% were alive and well, 10% were alive with recurrent cancer and 25% had died from their disease. UDC is rare in women. It is predominantly adenocarcinoma. There is no established treatment and survival is at best moderate. An international registry and consensus on management is needed if this is to be improved.

Histology and immunohistochemistry of clear cell adenocarcinoma of the urethra: histogenesis and diagnostic problems

Clear cell adenocarcinoma (CCAC) of the urethra is a rare neoplasm, morphologically identical to its homologue arising in the female genital tract. The histogenesis of this neoplasm is uncertain. We present clinical, histopathologic, and immunohistochemical findings of four CCAC of the urethra and discuss the histogenesis and difficulties in diagnosis and differential diagnosis. CCAC of the urethra occurred in females (4/4). Two neoplasms were identified in urethral diverticulum; one of the two cases, in close proximity to a nephrogenic adenoma. CCAC exhibited tubulocystic, papillary, and diffuse/solid growth patterns. The neoplastic cells were cuboidal or columnar with eosinophilic or clear cytoplasm, and nuclear pleomorphism of at least moderate degree. Hobnail features and tumor necrosis were also observed. CCAC expressed p53 (4/4), AMACR (3/4), vimentin (3/4), PAX8 (2/4), CK7 (2/4), cytokeratin 34betaE12 (2/4), RCC (1/4), and CK20 (1/4) and were negative for PSA, WT1, ER, CA 125, uroplakin III, p16, and p63. The immunohistochemical profile supports a possible renal tubular cell differentiation/mesonephric origin for some urethral CCAC. Nephrogenic adenoma and metastatic clear cell carcinoma are the most important differential diagnostic considerations. Multicenter studies on more cases may improve our understanding of this malignancy.

Clear cell carcinoma of female urethral diverticulum--a case report

Primary malignancies of female urethral diverticulum are rare. A well-documented female patient with primary clear cell carcinoma of the urethral diverticulum is presented here. A 65-year-old woman presented with frequency and voiding difficulty for 2 months. Physical examination showed a 4-cm mass protruding from anterior vaginal wall. Intravenous urography, magnetic resonance imaging, and cystoscopy showed a polypoid mass in urethral diverticulum. She then underwent anterior exenteration with ileal conduit diversion and urethrectomy. Pathology confirmed the diagnosis of clear cell adenocarcinoma with bladder neck invasion. She had no disease recurrence at 2-year follow-up. Careful clinical examination and image studies are helpful in making the preoperative diagnosis for the rare disease. Early radical surgery can achieve better survival.

The histogenesis of clear cell adenocarcinoma of the lower urinary tract. Case series and review of the literature

Clear cell adenocarcinoma of the lower urinary tract is a rare neoplasm whose histogenesis has not been thoroughly investigated. We have examined six specimens of clear cell adenocarcinomas collected from three institutions using histological, histochemical, and immunohistochemical techniques. Results indicate that almost all clear cell adenocarcinomas of this region express morphological and antigenic features, suggesting müllerian differentiation, and that müllerian differentiation is not a feature of either nonclear cell adenocarcinomas or normal female paraurethral glands. Including the authors' six specimens, 46 specimens have been reported in the available English literature. The accumulated experience confirms the initial impression that these tumors develop predominantly in the urethras of women and occur over a wide age range. Despite high stage at diagnosis, most patients have been alive with no evidence of disease when reported, a prognosis that seems to apply regardless of length of follow-up.

Clear cell adenocarcinoma of the female urethra showing positive staining with antibodies to prostate-specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase

A case of clear cell adenocarcinoma arising from the female urethra is described. Histologically, solid and glandular areas consisted of clear cells. The tumor cells stained positively with antibodies to prostate-specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase, suggesting that the clear cell adenocarcinoma arises from the female paraurethral duct, rather than embryonic remnants.

Urethral diverticular carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Urethral diverticular carcinoma is an unusual finding in a urologic lesion commonly found in female patients.

METHODS

This report presents 6 new cases and reviews the other 53 cases in the English literature.

RESULTS

Adenocarcinoma occurs more frequently than transitional and squamous cell cancers combined.

CONCLUSION

The prognosis of the former is more favorable. In general, radical therapy is recommended. However, in some instances of localized disease, and with careful follow-up, a more conservative approach might be attempted.

Female urethral diverticular with clear cell adenocarcinoma

Clear cell adenocarcinoma in a urethral diverticulum in the female is a very rare and unusual tumor. We recently treated two patients with this tumor. Their presentation, histologic evaluation, and management are reviewed in light of the limited experience in the literature.

Clear cell adenocarcinoma of the urethra: evidence for origin within paraurethral ducts

We report a case of clear cell adenocarcinoma arising in a paraurethral duct treated by anterior pelvic exenteration. Immunohistochemical stains for prostate specific acid phosphatase and prostate specific antigen were positive in the primary tumor and regional metastases. Focal positive staining also was noted in normal paraurethral duct epithelium. Our observations suggest that clear cell adenocarcinoma arises from the female paraurethral ducts, rather than embryonic remnants. These ducts appear to be homologous to the prostate and in some cases may be misinterpreted as urethral diverticula.

Clear cell adenocarcinoma of the female urethra. A case report

A case of urethral clear cell adenocarcinoma (mesonephric carcinoma) in a 62-year-old woman is reported. The patient consulted our hospital because of acute urinary retention. Fine needle aspiration cytology showed a few atypical cells; loose cluster cells with finely vacuolated cytoplasm, large nuclei and prominent nucleoli, and small cluster cells with finely vacuolated, delicate cytoplasm, small pale nuclei and small nucleoli. Cytologic diagnosis was adenocarcinoma and no diagnosis of clear cell adenocarcinoma was obtained. The neoplasia was localized at the posterior wall of the urethra and deep muscular layer of the vaginal wall. Histologically, the tumor revealed mainly small, elongated glands consisting of single-layered cuboidal or columnar cells with scanty cytoplasm and a focally hobnail appearance. In addition, a small cystic lesion resembling nephrogenic adenoma was observed. This finding raises the possibility that clear cell adenocarcinoma may be a malignant counterpart of nephrogenic adenoma.

Adenocarcinoma of the urethra in women. A clinicopathologic study

Twenty-two cases of adenocarcinoma of the urethra in women were studied. Nine were classified histologically as clear cell adenocarcinoma and 13 were classified as columnar/mucinous adenocarcinoma. Thirteen patients (59%) were black. The average patient age was 61 years (range, 27 to 76 years). Follow-up ranged from 6 to 194 months, (average, 40 months). At presentation, most patients (82%) had extension of tumor into adjacent structures or metastases to regional lymph nodes. Eighty-six percent received radiation therapy and 41% underwent an anterior exenteration or cystectomy. Eight of 22 patients (36%) had no evidence of disease 21 to 194 months after diagnosis (average, 83 months). Fourteen (64%) were dead of disease 6 to 23 months after diagnosis (average, 15 months). In general, the extent of tumor correlated best with survival time. Forty-four percent of patients with clear cell adenocarcinoma were dead of disease within 24 months of diagnosis, in contrast to 77% of those with columnar/mucinous adenocarcinoma, suggesting that patients with clear cell adenocarcinoma may have a better prognosis than those with columnar/mucinous adenocarcinoma. However, the difference in survival probability between the two groups was not found to be statistically significant. Recognition of the two histologic types of urethral adenocarcinoma is important to prevent misdiagnosis of such tumors as metastases (or direct extension) of nonurethral neoplasms having a similar histologic appearance. A possible predilection of the disease for black women has not been previously described.

Tumour of female paraurethral duct. Immunohistochemical similarity with prostatic carcinoma

A case of adenocarcinoma derived from a female paraurethral duct is described. Morphologically the tumour looked like a prostatic adenocarcinoma. Furthermore, the tumour cells stained positively with antibodies to prostatic specific antigen and prostatic specific acid phosphatase. The karyotype of the patient was 45,x/46,xx/47,xxx/46,xt(x;13)(p11;q22) demonstrating that the patient was not a hermaphrodite. The tumour therefore represented female homology of a prostatic adenocarcinoma.

Glycogen-rich clear cell carcinoma of the urethra: an ultrastructural study

A 49-year-old black woman developed a urethral glycogen-rich clear cell carcinoma. She was treated with anterior pelvic exenteration. The resected lymph nodes, vagina, uterine cervix, endometrium, ovaries, and urinary bladder were free of neoplasm. Histologically the neoplasm consisted of clear cells growing in sheets and occasional papillary structures. In some areas, hobnail cells were present. Ultrastructurally, the cells had apical caps, short microvilli, and complex cell bases, and contained abundant glycogen. These features were identified in one, but not the other of two previously reported cases. Because glycogen-rich clear cell carcinomas of the lower urinary tract do not resemble ultrastructurally mesonephric remnants or carcinomas known to arise from them, these glycogen-rich clear cell carcinomas should not be called "mesonephromas" as has been the practice.

Clear cell adenocarcinoma of the urethra

We report the eighth case of clear cell adenocarcinoma of the female urethra. The histology and management are discussed.