However, females cannot getprostate cancerbecause they don’t haveprostate glandslike males.
This article explains what the Skene’s glands are and how cancer develops there.
It will also discuss Skene’s gland cysts, a benign condition.
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Skene’s glands originate from the same cells that give rise to the prostate gland duringembryogenesis.
What Do Skene’s Glands Do?
This is the same substance that healthcare providers use to detect anenlarged prostate.
Cancer of the Skene’s Gland
Females cannot get prostate cancer.
But females can get Skene’s gland cancer, otherwise known asfemale urethral adenocarcinoma(FUA).
It is an extremely rare cancer.
By way of background,carcinomais a key in of cancer that affectsepithelialcells.
FUA is extremely rare, accounting for less than 0.003% of cancers affecting thefemale genital and urinary tract.
It is also very aggressive, causing large tumors that spread quickly through thelymphatic system.
Most cases are not detected until the cancer hasmetastasized(spread to distant organs).
How Serious Is Skene’s Gland Cancer?
Female urethral adenocarcinoma has a high mortality rate, mainly due to late diagnosis of the disease.
The location of the nodule can vary based on where the tumor started.
When this happens, a person may develop symptoms similar to aurinary tract infection (UTI).
Proximal tumors tend to be more severe.
Common sites of metastases are the bladder, vagina, liver, lungs, brain, and bones.
Treatment and Outlook
The treatment of female urethral adenocarcinoma depends on the cancer stage.
The treatment of FUA typically involves surgery with or withoutchemotherapyand radiation therapy.
Early-Stage Tumors
Noninvasive, localized tumors are treated with localized surgery.
In cases in which resection or laser surgery cannot be performed, radiation therapy has been used successfully.
The combination of surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy is key to survival in advanced cases.
Even so, a person’s quality of life can be significantly reduced after a radical urethrectomy.
Associated Conditions
Skene’s glands are vulnerable to conditions beyond cancer.
While these other conditions are far less serious, they can cause significant pain and other symptoms.
Most of thecystsare small and asymptomatic.
In some cases, the infection can lead to a pocket of pus known as anabscess.
A Skene’s gland cyst can be removed with surgery.
Adenofibromas differ from other benign tumors in that they affect both glandular tissues and fibrous connective tissues.
They are most common in postmenopausal people who useestrogen replacement therapy.
The Skene’s glands are a rare site for adenocarcinoma.
The tumor can develop in the duct of the gland or in the gland itself.
which are the counterpart to the prostate gland in males.
FUA is exceptionally rare, with only around 20 documented cases in medical literature.
Even so, FUA is known to be aggressive, with a high rate of mortality.
National Cancer Institute.Cancer stat facts: prostate cancer.
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National Cancer Institute.Cancer classification.
National Cancer Institute.Definition of adenocarcinoma.
