title: Urachal carcinoma: clinicopathological features, treatment and outcome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Urachal carcinoma is a rare malignancy of urogenital tract. The objective of this study was to assess the clinical presentation, histopathological findings, treatment and outcome of patients of urachal carcinoma at a tertiary care centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of six cases of urachal carcinoma diagnosed over a period of 7 years from 2005 to 2011 was carried out. All pathologic specimens were reviewed by a single pathologist. Clinical and histological features along with treatment were reviewed and patient follow-up and survival outcome was obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age at diagnosis was 36 years. Of the six patients, five were male. The tumor was located in dome in five and dome and anterior wall in one patient. All patients underwent partial cystectomy with bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection. The Sheldon pathologic stage was stage II in 1, IIIA in 2, IVA in 3 cases. Five out of six patients received adjuvant radiotherapy. The mean follow-up period was 37 months. Three out of six were disease free at last follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Urachal carcinomas are rare and usually locally advanced at presentation with a high risk of distant metastases. Surgery is the primary treatment of choice. Adjuvant therapy may decrease the chances of recurrence but it needs to be elucidated by prospective trials.
authors.forename: Narendra
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Regional Cancer Centre, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: Divya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Khosla
authors.forename: Ritesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Arup K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Mandal
authors.forename: Uma N
authors.initials: UN
authors.lastname: Saikia
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kapoor
authors.forename: Shrawan K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Suresh C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult