Carcinoma of the female urethra is an uncommon but important disease. Its uncommonness is indicated by the small number of cases appearing in the literature. In 1933, Counseller and Paterson (1) found only 124 cases reported. To this number they added 12. In 1935 Menville and Counseller (2) estimated that a total of 149 cases had been published. Sparks and Parsons (3), in 1937, reviewed 119 cases and found references to 49 others. Nichol (4) stated that up to 1940 reports of 262 examples were available for study in the literature. The disease is important because, as is true of all carcinomas, if it is not discovered and adequately treated early, the outcome will be fatal. Review of Literature The principal articles reviewing large numbers of cases have already been mentioned. Further reference to them will be brief. Most authors mention the first case of carcinoma of the female urethra reported in 1833 by Mme. Boivin (5). In an early report by Shaw (6), in 1923, the methods of treatment were discussed. At that time treatment was mainly surgical, but Shaw reported 2 cases in which he had used radium. In their report of 12 cases from the Mayo Clinic in 1933, Counseller and Paterson concluded that the best results were obtained when radium or roentgen therapy was used in conjunction with surgery. Menville (7), in 1935, stated that in 109 cases the average age at the time of diagnosis was 53.4 years. He found that most of the patients were married and multiparous; the average number of children per patient was five. He also noted that the majority of lesions were located in the anterior urethra only, or extended over the entire urethra. In the 119 cases collected from the literature by Sparks and Parsons, the average age at onset was 54 years. Of this group, only 15 patients survived three or more years after treatment. Of the 39 patients treated by surgical means alone, only 2 lived as long as three years. Of 40 treated by radium or roentgen rays alone, 6 lived three years or longer. Twenty-one patients received radium or roentgen irradiation in addition to surgery, and among these there were 7 three-year survivals. Nichol, in 1941, reported 2 cases of carcinoma of the female urethra in addition to the 262 cases which he was able to find in the literature up to that time. In 1945, Clayton (8) stated that leukoplakia and caruncle did not seem to be precursors of carcinoma of the urethra. He divided the lesions into urethral and vulvo-urethral types and noted that there were enlarged inguinal nodes in 20 per cent of cases. He also pointed out the need for individualization in treatment. Anatomy and Location of Lesions The female urethra is about 3 to 4 cm. in length (9). It begins at the neck of the bladder, opposite about the middle of the symphysis pubis, and courses downward and forward anterior to the vaginal wall.