Primary mucin-producing urothelial-type adenocarcinoma of the prostatic urethra diagnosed on TURP: a case report and review of literature

Mucin-producing urothelial-type adenocarcinoma of the prostatic urethra is extremely rare. These lesions must be differentiated from other mucinous tumors including mucin-producing prostatic adenocarcinoma and metastases from either colonic or bladder primaries.

We report here a case of urothelial-type adenocarcinoma arising from the prostatic urethra. The patient is an 81 year-old man with a history of pT1 urothelial cell carcinoma of the bladder status post trans-urethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) who initially presented with irritative lower urinary tract symptoms and mucosuria refractory to Flomax and finasteride. A shared decision was made for the patient to undergo trans-urethral resection of prostate (TURP). At the time of surgery, a papillary tumor emanating from the prostatic urethra was found and no urothelial lesions were noted in the bladder. Pathology of the resected prostatic chips revealed an invasive adenocarcinoma with intestinal-type differentiation that stained positive for CK7, CK20, and villin, but negative for PSA, PSAP, uroplakin, and CDX-2. Colonoscopy was normal and CT scan did not show any evidence of colonic lesions nor visceral or lymph node metastases. Thus, the patient was diagnosed with a primary urothelial-type adenocarcinoma of the prostatic urethra.

Herein we review the literature regarding this unusual entity, and discuss the differential diagnosis, immunohistochemistry, and the importance of correctly identifying this rare tumor.