Surface Adenosquamous Carcinoma of the Penis

Abstract

Three patients, aged 37, 72, and 74 years, with adenosquamous carcinoma of the penis are described. The duration of disease was 6, 9, and 144 months, respectively. Grossly a firm, white-gray granular exophytic mass was noted (7.6 cm average diameter). Microscopically, a mixed carcinoma showing squamous and glandular elements was present; the squamous component predominated. In two cases the adenocarcinoma was located in the perimeatal area of the glans. The periurethral glands were not involved. The glandular foci were discrete and had minimal admixture with the squamous carcinoma. Mucin material was present in the lumina, apical border, and cytoplasm. Immunohistochemically, cells showed positivity for carcinoembryonic antigen in glandular areas. The squamous cell carcinomas were of the "warty" variant in two cases and of the usual squamous cell type in the other case. In one patient, metastatic adenosquamous carcinoma was noted in one inguinal node and showed mucin secretion. This patient is alive and well 102 months after diagnosis. Another patient is alive with no evidence of disease 12 months after surgery, and the third was lost to follow-up. Adenosquamous carcinomas of the penis are unusual neoplasms probably originating in penile surface epithelium and in embryologically misplaced mucus glands of the perimeatal region of glans mucosa.