 Blood Count test is also recommended. Cystoscopy could be carried out which involves inserting a thin tube into the urethra and the urinary bladder to check for the presence of cancerous cells. In most cases, a biopsy of the tissues will be taken for examination to confirm the presence of cancer.
Scans such as X-rays, MRI and CT scans are used to determine the size and staging of the cancer to prescribe proper treatment. The staging is determined according to the part of urethra that is affected. Anterior Urethral Cancer is not too advanced or deep, while the Posterior Urethral Cancer is deep rooted and in advanced stage. Anterior parts are closer to the body opening, while the posterior part of the urethra is next to the urinary bladder and in males, the prostate gland.
Once the presence of Urethral Cancer is determined, the appropriate treatment for the particular stage of the cancer is prescribed. There are various treatment options available for Urethral Cancer. The type of treatment depends on the stage of the cancer and the damage done to the tissues around the urethra, especially when the cancer has reached other organs like the urinary bladder.
Surgery is one of the most widely practiced treatments for Urethral Cancer. There are quite a few surgery types used in this regard.
-Open Excision: Surgical removal of the urethra.
-Laser Surgery: Using laser beams for surgery and removing cancerous cells.
-Lymph Node Dissection: Removal of the lymph nodes in the groin area affected from the cancer.
-Electro-resection: Using electric current for the removal or destruction of the cancer cells.
-Cystourethectomy: Surgical removal of the urethra and urinary bladder affected by the cancer.
-Radical penectomy: Surgical removal of the penis affected by the cancer.
Cystoprostatectomy: Surgical removal of the prostate and bladder affected by the cancer in males.
Radiation therapy is another method of treatment in which X-rays of very high energy are used to destroy the cancerous cells. Alternatively, or combined with surgery, chemotherapy is also administered to control the growth of the cancer.
Urethral Cancer is a rare type of cancer which occurs more frequently in females.
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