Primary carcinoma of the female urethra.

A retrospective review of women with carcinoma of the urethra is reported. Twelve patients treated between 1947 and 1978 have been characterized as to presenting features, therapy, and prognosis. There average age of patients at diagnosis was 68 years; the most frequent presenting symptom was bleeding (92% of patients); average duration of symptoms before diagnosis was five months. Localized tumors of the distal urethra have been effectively controlled by using interstitial implantation of radioactive sources, five of five patients having no evidence of disease one to ten years after treatment. Our study agrees with reports in the literature on the results of interstitial implantation of radioactive sources. Patients with tumor involving the entire urethra have a poor prognosis, and four of five patients died within the first year after therapy.