Involvement of the anterior urethra in male patients with transitional cell-carcinoma of the bladder undergoing radical cystectomy with simultaneous urethrectomy.

Histological tumor extension into the prostate, urethra and ureters was examined in 52 specimens obtained by cystourethrectomy for transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder with one or more risk factors for urethral involvement. In four (21.1%) of 19 patients with diffuse carcinoma in situ in the bladder extending to the internal urethral orifice and prostatic urethra, the anterior urethra was affected by transitional cell carcinoma, including one specimen with invasion into the corpus spongiosum. However, none of 33 patients without these findings had synchronous anterior urethral transitional cell carcinoma involvement. It is recommended that patients with diffuse carcinoma in situ extending into the prostatic urethra undergo careful preoperative assessment of the anterior urethra before cystectomy. In other cases, the anterior urethra can be preserved and used for orthotopic neobladder replacement.