Urethral cancer is a rare type of cancer in which cancerous (malignant) cells form in the tissues lining the urethra.
There are three types of urethral cancer:
- Squamous cell carcinoma: The most common type of urethral cancer forms in the cells nearest the urethral opening.
- Transitional cell carcinoma: This type of urethral cancer forms in the area nearest the bladder in women, and in the part of the urethra that goes through the penis and prostate gland in men.
- Adenocarcinoma: This type of urethral cancer forms in glands near the urethra in both men and women.
Urethral cancer occurs more commonly in women than in men.