Carcinoembryonic antigen positive adenocarcinoma of a female urethral diverticulum: case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Paraurethral glands of the female urethra, which are assumed to be embryologically homologous to the male prostate gland, are possible origins for diverticular cancer of the urethra. A case of primary adenocarcinoma arising in a female urethral diverticulum is presented. Pathology revealed a columnar/mucinous type adenocarcinoma which stained positively for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and negatively for PSA. Normal paraurethral ducts located near the urethra and normal urethral epithelium also stained positively for CEA. These findings suggest that the adenocarcinoma in our case originated from the paraurethral duct near the urethral lumen.