Female para-urethral adenocarcinoma: histological and immunohistochemical study.

BACKGROUND: Female urethral cancer with a diverticular form is assumed to originate from the para-urethral duct, which is embryologically homologous to the male prostate gland. The purpose of the present paper was to investigate the female para-urethral adenocarcinomas histologically and immunohistochemically.

METHODS: Surgical specimens obtained from six female patients with para-urethral adenocarcinomas were examined histologically, and an immunohistochemical study using antibodies against carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), prostate specific antigen (PSA), and chromogranin A was performed.

RESULTS: On histologic examination, the female para-urethral cancers were divided into five cases of mucin-producing-type adenocarcinoma and one case of clear cell-type adenocarcinoma. All five mucin-producing-type adenocarcinomas were positive with anti-CEA, and two of them showed neuroendicrine differentiation. One of them showed a focally positive area with anti-PSA. The clear cell-type adenocarcinoma had no positive reactions to these antibodies.

CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of histologic structure, positive CEA staining, and the presence of focal neuroendocrine differentiation, mucin-producing-type adenocarcinomas may arise from the proximal part of the para-urethral duct.