Radiation therapy for primary carcinoma of the female urethra: a survey over 25 years.

Sixty-two patients with primary carcinoma of the female urethra were treated with a combined radiation therapy (high-dose intracavitary vaginal radium and external beam). Treatment was strictly individualized, but an administered tumor dose of 5500-7000 rad (55-70 Gy) was always attempted. Forty-two patients (67.7%) had tumors of the anterior urethra, and in 20 women (32.3%) the posterior urethra was involved. In 19 patients (30.6%) the clinical diagnosis of lymph node involvement was made. The overall 5-year-survival rate was 64.5%. Patients with anterior urethral carcinoma had a higher 5-year-survival rate (71.4%) than patients with posterior carcinoma (50.0%). The favorable results underline the substantial role of radiation therapy for this malignancy.