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Mixed carcinoma (squamous and glandular) of the penis is a rare neoplasm with an unknown origin and a poorly defined prognosis. The mucoepidermoid carcinoma described herein has not been previously reported to our knowledge. The present carcinoma arose from and extensively ulcerated the squamous epithelium of the glans penis, including that surrounding the urethral meatus. The neoplasm was composed of welldifferentiated nonkeratinizing squamous cell carcinoma associated with large areas of carcinoma formed by cell nests that contained poorly differentiated squamous elements and
large eosinophilic to pale granular cells. Mucin stains revealed approximately one quarter of the pale cells contained mucous substances. These findings are virtually identical to the mucoepidermoid type of carcinoma seen in the cervix. The 3 previously reported cases of adenosquamous carcinoma of the penis demonstrated a relatively indolent course, with only one being associated with a single inguinal lymph node metastasis. That patient was alive and well 9 years following diagnosis. Our example of mucoepidermoid carcinoma appears to demonstrate a more aggressive course than those reported previously.
(Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2000;124:148-151)
Most carcinomas of the penis demonstrate a squamous configuration. Rarely, other histologic types of carcinoma have been reported in the penis, including basal cell carcinoma,1 adenocarcinoma 2 and adenosquamous carcinoma.3 Most adenocarcinomas involving the penis arise in periurethral glands of Littre, the Cowper glands, and the sweat glands of the shaft.4-6 The previously reported cases of mixed (squamous and glandular) carcinoma of the penis appear to have arisen from the surface epithelium of the penis near the urethral meatus and have followed a relatively indolent course. The mucoepidermoid type of mixed carcinoma as seen in the cervix7 has not, to our knowledge, been reported in the penis. Herein, we report a mucoepidermoid carcinoma of the penis that demonstrated early extensive regional lymph node metastases.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The penectomy specimen and lymph nodes from the bilateral inguinal dissection were fixed in 10% buffered formalin solution and processed routinely through paraffin block. Five-micron sections were cut and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Selected sections of the lymph nodes and carcinoma from the primary site were stained routinely with mucicarmine.
IMMUNOHISTOCHEMISTRY
Immunohistochemistry was performed on...