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Mitomycin C in the treatment of anterior urethral strictures

Nature Reviews Urology volume 15, pages 717–718 (2018)Cite this article

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Anterior urethral strictures are a common urological problem and urethrotomy has limited efficacy if repeated treatment is needed. An increasing number of studies have shown that mitomycin C has potential as an adjunct to urethrotomy for improving its success rate.

Anterior urethral strictures are usually initially treated with urethrotomy. The length, underlying anatomy, and, in particular, the thickness of the corpus spongiosum as well as the underlying pathology causing the stricture are very important factors to consider by the managing clinician. All these factors will be invaluable at the time of counselling the patient in terms of prognosis, choosing the most appropriate follow-up regime, and optimizing treatment should the stricture recur. Repeated urethrotomies for recurrent anterior urethral strictures are known to have limited efficacy1; hence, any adjuvant therapy that improves its success rate will be most welcomed. In this context, mitomycin C (MMC) has shown some promising results.

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Fig. 1: Proposed mechanism of action of MMC in treatment of anterior urethral stricture.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, Changi General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore

    Joon J. Park

  2. Department of Urology, Sengkang Health and Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, Singapore

    Tricia L. Kuo

  3. Department of Urology, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK

    Christopher R. Chapple

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  1. Joon J. Park
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  2. Tricia L. Kuo
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  3. Christopher R. Chapple
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Correspondence to Christopher R. Chapple.

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Competing interests

C.R.C. has been a consultant, adviser, grant recipient, researcher, author, speaker, meeting participant, and/or been involved in studies or trials for Astellas Pharma, Bayer Schering Parma AG, Galvani Bioelectronics (GSK), Ipsen, Lupin Limited, Pfizer, Pierre Fabre, Recordati, Sun Pharmaceutical, and Symimetics. J.J.P. and T.L.K. declare no competing interests.

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Park, J.J., Kuo, T.L. & Chapple, C.R. Mitomycin C in the treatment of anterior urethral strictures. Nat Rev Urol 15, 717–718 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41585-018-0102-1

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