[Malignant melanoma of the male urethra].

A 4S year old, Hindu wo m an was seen on Sth June, 2000 wi th complaints of a gradually increasing swelling near the urinary orifice with d ifficulty in passing urine. On examina tion, a soft, fleshy, S em wide growth was seen near the external urethral meatus. Initially, it appeared to arise fr om the anterior wall of the vagin a but exa mina tion under ane sthesia rev ealed it to be ari sing from the posterior part of the external urethral meatus. Vagi na l examination findings were normal. A biopsy of the growth was taken . Histopathological study reported malignant melanoma. Six cycles of chemotherapy with mitomycin , S FU and vincr is tine w as started on S th November 2000. It was sp read over 7 months due to development of low blood counts during therapy. She was also given external radiotherapy of SO Gy to the pelvi s. At the en d of ch emoradiation, the patient continued to have increased frequency of mictuirition, incontinence of urine and fou l discharge. The mass at the external urethral meatus, reduced in size to 1 em. It was sof t, flesh y, well locali zed at the external urinary ureatus, superficial and free from underlying tissue. No lymph nodes were palpable. Chest x-ray was normal. Cystoscop y sh owed no bladder involvement. CT scan di d not show any tumor lesi on elsewhere. She was operated on 12th September, 2001 and circumferential local excision of the distal urethra and adjacent vaginal wall was done. Catheter was removed on the 14th postoperative day. Urinary continence was maintained . H istopathology reveale d malignant melanoma (Pho tograph 1 and 2). Cut margins were free from the