Editors: Maria Rosaria, Raspollini and Antonio Lopez-Beltran
Publisher:  Cambridge University Press – 420 pages
Book Review by: Sonu Chandiram

Before sexual organs begin to develop in unborn males and females, human embryos undergo similar development of their urogenital tracts, the editors point out in the Preface of this book.

But genetic and epigenetic factors, such as abnormalities or ailments their father or mother had, may cause the infants to be born in a not-quite perfect state. They may even be born with tumors.

So what is the obstetrician or pediatrician to do, to figure out the best way to treat the baby?

That is when the pathologist comes in, and armed with this book, he or she can figure out the best treatment option.

This book is described as “a comprehensive interdisciplinary compilation of the most common pathologic entities seen in the female and the male urogenital tracts, and is the result of a joint effort by well-known gynecopathologists, uropathologists, dermatopathologists, and embryology experts to focus on gynecologic and genitourinary tract pathologic similarities and differences.”

Forty-two specialists in pathology, mainly from Italy and Spain, but also from four other countries – Austria, Mozambique, Portugal, and the United States – authored the 35 chapters of this book. We name their titles below, to provide you an idea of the topics covered in it:

  1. Section I – Notes on Embryology, Differentiation and Function of the Urogenital Tract
  2. Embryonic Development of the Urinary Tract
  3. Section II – Ovary and Testis: Similarities and Differences
  4. Non-neoplastic and Tumor-like Conditions of the Ovary
  5. Non-neoplastic and Tumor-like Conditions of the Testis
  6. Disorders of Sexual Development
  7. Ovarian Epithelial-Stromal Tumors and Similar Lesions in the Testis
  8. Germ Cell Tumors: The Ovary and the Testis
  9. Sex Cord-Stromal Tumors: The Ovary and the Testis
  10. Section III – Prostatic Lesions and Tumors
  11. The Prostatic Utricle and Endometrioid Prostate Cancer
  12. Cystic Lesions of the Prostate and Lower Genitourinary Tract versus Female Gynecologic Tract Lesions: Similarities and Differences
  13. Biphasic Tumors of the Urogenital Tract: Selected Topics
  14. Ectopic Prostate Tissue
  15. Mesonephric Remnants
  16. Prostate and Breast Pathology: Similarities and Differences
  17. Section IV – Kidney Tumors and Neoplasms with Similar Features in the Gynecologic Tract
  18. Clear Cell Tumors of the Kidney and the Gynecologic Tract
  19. Mixed Epithelial and Stromal Tumors f the Kidney
  20. Mixed Epithelial and Mesenchymal Tumors of the Uterus
  21. Ovarian Mixed Epithelial-Stromal Tumors
  22. Mesenchymal Tumors of the Kidney
  23. Mesenchymal Tumors of the Female Genital Tract
  24. Section V – Neuroendocrine Tumors
  25. Similarities and Differences in Neuroendocrine Tumors of the Male and Female Genital Tracts and Urinary Tract
  26. Section VI – Transitional Cell Tumors
  27. Brenner Tumors And Transitional Cell Tumors of the Ovary
  28. Transitional Cell Tumors of the Bladder
  29. Squamo-transitional Carcinoma and Transitional Cell Metaplasia of the Cervix and the Vagina, and Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Lesions of the Urinary Tract
  30. Micropapillary Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder versus Gynecologic Tract Carcinomas and Micropapillary Features: Similarities and Differences
  31. Section VII – Urethra and Non-Transitional Tumors of the Bladder
  32. Pathology of the Female and Male Urethra
  33. Mulerian Lesions of the Bladder: Endometriosis, Endosalpingiosis, Endocervicosis, and Mullerianosis
  34. Clear Cell Carcinoma of the Urinary Tract vs. Clear Cell Carcinoma of the Ovary: Similarities and Differences
  35. Cystic and Solid Tumors of the Urachus vs. Gynecologic Tract Tumors: Similarities and Differences
  36. Section VIII – Vulva and Penis
  37. Dermatoses and Inflammatory Diseases of the Vulva
  38. Dermatoses and Inflammatory Diseases of the Penis
  39. Intraepithelial lesions of the Vulva
  40. Intraepithelial lesions of the Penis
  41. Malignant Neoplasms of the Vulva and Penis
  42. Miscellaneous Lesions of the Vulva and Penis
  43. Section IX – Secondary Tumors
  44. Secondary Tumors of the Male and Female Genital Tracts and Urinary Tract: Similarities and Differences

The chapters in this extensive book discuss the similarities in the male and the female genital tracts’ pathologic entities, as well as highlight and discuss the differences in genetics, histopathology, incidence, and clinical signs. They also emphasize the differential diagnosis of tumors with similar histological features in the two genders.

This book contains numerous captioned color micrographs illustrating the features of the malignancies, as well as photos of disorders and diseased organs or cross-sections thereof, enabling you to see how the abnormalities developed, or are developing.

Each chapter is also replete with many useful references for further study of the topics you want to take closer looks on. All in all, this is a rich source of information on the pathologies found in the genitourinary tracts of males and females.

Editors:

Maria Rosaria, Raspollini is a consultant pathologist I the Department of Histopathology and Molecular Diagnostics at University Hospital Careggi in Florence, Italy. Her expertise and research activity has been focused on gynecologic and urologic pathology.

Antonio Lopez-Beltran is Professor of Anatomic Pathology and Director of the Service of Anatomic Pathology at the Champalimaud Clinical Center in Lisbon, Portugal.