Metastatic urothelial carcinoma of the urethra and glans penis with reported implantation via the urine - A case report

Sep 30, 2026

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Urothelial carcinoma represents the majority of diagnosed bladder cancers and is associated with recurrence and metastasis even after complete resection. This case report describes a patient with recurrent bladder cancer who underwent cystoprostatectomy, later developing a penile lesion years after surgery. Partial penectomy was performed and histopathology showed urothelial carcinoma in the urethra with tumor nesting in the epithelium of the glans and foreskin by micturition. The presentation reflects an extremely rare spread through urine.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

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Pages6

Reading Time15 min

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Abstract

Introduction

Case report

Clinical history

Diagnosis and treatment timeline

Surgery and pathology (reported)

ONCOLOGY LETTERS 31: 91, 2026 Metastatic urothelial carcinoma of the urethra and glans penis with reported implantation via the urine: A case report PIOTR KALINOWSKI 1 , PAWEŁ NALEJ 1 , BEATA GROCHULSKA‑NALAZEK 1 , TOMASZ KALINOWSKI 1 , TOMASZ DEMKOW 1 , OLGA KUCZKIEWICZ‑SIEMION2 and ROMAN ROMANIUK2 1Department of Urogenital Cancer, Maria Skłodowska‑Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02‑781 Warsaw, Poland; 2Department of Pathology and Laboratory Diagnostics, Maria Skłodowska‑Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02‑781 Warsaw, Poland Received May 22, 2025; Accepted October 8, 2025 DOI: 10. 3892/ol.2025.15444 Abstract. Urothelial carcinoma accounts for the vast majority of diagnosed bladder cancer cases. Urothelial carcinoma is prone to recurrence and metastasis despite complete resection of the lesions. The present case report describes a patient who underwent cystoprostatectomy due to a diagnosis of recurrent bladder cancer, with a penile lesion found several years after surgery. A partial penectomy was performed and the subse‑ quent histopathology result showed urothelial carcinoma of the urethra and the epithelium of the glans and foreskin nested by micturition. The present case is an extremely rare incidence of the spread of cancer through the urine. To date, only a few such cases have been reported in the literature. Introduction Bladder cancer is the seventh most commonly diagnosed cancer in men worldwide and the tenth most common in both sexes, with ~550,000 new cases each year (1‑4) . The most common location of cancer in the urinary tract is the bladder. Histologically, urothelial carcinoma is the most common typeof bladder cancer. According to the European Association of Urology, urothelial carcinoma accounts for >90% of all bladder cancer cases (1) . Bladder cancer is a heterogeneous disease and represents a spectrum of lesions with varying degrees of malignancy. Urothelial bladder cancer is more common in developed countries. Additionally, mortality rates are the highest in certain parts of Europe and North Africa, and lowest in Asia, Central America and Central Africa (1‑3) . Correspondence to: Dr Piotr Kalinowski or Dr Paweł Nalej, Department of Urogenital Cancer, Maria Skłodowska‑Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 5 W. K. Roentgena, 02‑781 Warsaw, Poland E‑[mail: kalin.kbk@wp.pl](mail: kalin.kbk@wp.pl) E‑[mail: pawel.nalej@nio.gov.pl](mail: pawel.nalej@nio.gov.pl) Key words: urothelial carcinoma, cutaneous and glans penis implantation, metastasis Urothelial bladder cancer is known to be linked to several major risk factors, such as cigarette use, infections with the parasite Schistosoma haematobium and occupational contact with chemicals such as aromatic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (1‑3). After radical treatment of bladder cancer, metastases are diagnosed in up to 50% of patients and are typically found within the first 2‑3 years after surgery. Local and distant recurrences have a poor prognosis (1,3‑7) . Penile metastasis is extremely rare and is typically considered a late sign of disease dissemination (3‑7) . The primary source of penile metastasis is typically the genitourinary tract, and less commonly the gastrointestinal tract (4‑7) . Case report A 65‑year‑old man visited the oncology clinic of the Maria Skłodowska‑Curie National Research Institute of Oncology in Warsaw (Poland) in January 2024 due to periodic bleeding from a suspicious lesion on the foreskin and glans penis near the external urethral orifice. The lesion was noticed and observed by the patient for ~6 months. The patient was chroni‑ cally treated for type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, CNS vascular dementia and irritable bowel syndrome. The patient was taking two permanent medications: Betaserc (24 mg once a day_for the treatment of vertigo and Metformax (500 mg twice a day) to manage diabetes mellitus. Historically, the patient had undergone an appendectomy. As for

FAQs

What cancer is described in this case report?

The report describes metastatic urothelial carcinoma involving the urethra and the glans penis, with implantation reported via urine after prior bladder cancer treatment.

Why is the case considered extremely rare?

The spread of cancer through the urine with subsequent implantation to penile epithelium is described as an exceptionally rare incidence, with only a few similar cases reported.

What treatments were performed after recurrent bladder cancer?

After recurrent bladder cancer, the patient underwent cystoprostatectomy, and later a partial penectomy was performed when a penile lesion was detected; histopathology confirmed urothelial carcinoma in the urethra and penile epithelium.

Sep 30, 2026

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