Carcinoma of the female urethra: a review of results with radiation therapy.

Low stage female urethral carcinoma is curable by radiation therapy alone and is amenable to brachytherapy techniques whereby high doses of irradiation can be delivered safely. A 60 to 80 per cent 5-year survival rate with preservation of bladder function and control can be expected with good radiotherapeutic techniques. Except for stage Tis or early stage T1 lesions of the anterior urethra that can be treated with limited surgical excision, irradiation should be considered as an alternative to more extensive surgery for low stage bulky lesions. While there has been some success with radiation therapy alone for advanced disease, the cure rate probably can be improved with a combined approach using surgery, radiation therapy and possibly chemotherapy.