Cancer of the urethra, a rare type of cancer, is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the urethra. The urethra is the tube that empties urine from the bladder, the hollow organ in the lower abdomen that stores urine. In women, the urethra is about 1 1/2 inches long and opens to the outside of the body above the vagina. In men, the urethra is about 8 inches long and goes through the prostate gland and then through the penis to the outside of the body. Cancer of the urethra affects women more often then men.

Causes:

• Chronic irritation (from childbirth, sexual intercourse) 

• Chronic urinary tract infection (UTI) 

• Smoking (increases the risk for bladder cancer, which is a risk factor for urethral cancer) 

Symptoms:

• Blood in the urine (hematuria) 
• Diminished urine stream and straining to void (caused by urethral stricture) 
• Frequent urination and increased nighttime urination (nocturia) 
• Hardening of tissue in the perineum, labia, or penis 
• Itching 
• Incontinence 
• Pain during or after sexual intercourse (dyspareunia) 
• Painful urination (dysuria) 
• Recurrent urinary tract infection 
• Urethral discharge and swelling 

Treatments:

1. Chemotherapy
2. Radiation therapy
3. Immunotherapy
4. Vaccine therapy