Purpose: We evaluated a multimodality approach to locally advanced urethral carcinoma in women.
Materials and methods: Between August 1996 and July 1999, 6 women were treated for locally advanced carcinoma of the urethra with anterior pelvic exenteration followed by high dose 192iridium intraoperative radiation therapy. Four of the 6 patients were also treated with neoadjuvant or concomitant platinum based chemotherapy.
Results: Two patients had no evidence of disease, 3 had distant metastasis and 2 had local recurrence at a mean followup of 21 months (range 12 to 47). Radiation was relatively well tolerated with no major adverse events.
Conclusions: High dose intraoperative brachytherapy followed by external beam radiation is relatively well tolerated. Local control seems to have improved. We must evaluate a larger cohort of patients to determine this impact of the combined modality on local control and patient survival.