Features of the female prostate according to age: an autopsy study

The prostate gland plays an important role in male and female reproductive system. Data on this organ have not been fully explored in women since its first description, probably because it is considered a vestigial gland.

OBJECTIVE:

To correlate the morphology of the female prostate with age in autopsy.

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

Thirty-two female cadavers, 31 adults and one newborn, underwent dissection of the region corresponding to the prostate for histological analysis. The urethral region was divided into three portions: proximal, median, and distal. All the glands present in the samples were counted. Clinical data were collected, including age and previous diagnosis of menopause.

RESULTS:

There were no macroscopically visible prostate. Morphological analyses showed glands surrounding the urethra with a stratified epithelium, ranging from squamous to columnar types, with prevalence of basophilic cells and some presenting with secretion inside. A significant correlation with prostate tissue was found between the median and the proximal urethra, as well as between the median and distal urethra, suggesting that when the glandular structures increase in the median region, there is also an increase in the anterior and distal structures. Moreover, a prevalence of the glands in the median urethra was observed in post-menopausal women.

CONCLUSION:

This study suggests that the number of female prostate glands increases after menopause, with proliferative spread and growth of the median portion to the proximal and distal portions.

Key words:
prostate; women; menopause

Patient	Age	Cause of death	Urinary tract infection	Menopause
1	96	Bronchopneumonia	Unknown	Yes
2	75	Bronchopneumonia	Unknown	Yes
3	85	Cardiogenic pulmonary edema	Unknown	Yes
4	54	Acute heart failure	Unknown	Unknown
5	51	Acute heart failure	No	Unknown
6	74	Bronchopneumonia	Yes	Yes
7	60	Not determined	Yes	Yes
8	58	Bronchopneumonia	No	No
9	72	Acute heart failure	Unknown	Unknown
10	76	Acute heart failure	Unknown	Unknown
11	43	Meningitis	Unknown	Unknown
12	74	Acute heart failure	Unknown	Unknown
13	54	Cardiogenic pulmonary edema	Unknown	Unknown
14	47	Acute heart failure	Unknown	No
15	25	Bronchopneumonia	Unknown	Unknown
16	75	Pulmonary hemorrhage	Unknown	Yes
17	71	Acute heart failure	Unknown	Yes
18	65	Cardiogenic pulmonary edema	Unknown	Yes
19	45	Cardiogenic pulmonary edema	No	No
20	68	Neutropenic fever	Unknown	Yes
21	96	Acute heart failure	Unknown	Yes
22	40	Bronchopneumonia	Yes	No
23	81	Arrhythmia	Unknown	Yes
24	0 (NB)	Congenital malformation	Unknown	Unknown
25	38	Cardiogenic pulmonary edema	Unknown	Unknown
26	76	Arrhythmia	Unknown	Yes
27	64	Cardiogenic pulmonary edema	Unknown	Yes
28	39	Cardiac tamponade	Unknown	No
29	42	Acute heart failure	Unknown	No
30	25	Bronchopneumonia	Unknown	No
31	53	Encephalic vascular accident	Unknown	Unknown
32	85	Cardiogenic pulmonary edema	Unknown	Yes

Patient	Age	Number of prostate glands			Total number of gland	Paraurethral inflammation	Paraurethral ectasia	Paraurethral bleeding	Cystic gland
Patient	Age	Proximal urethra	Median urethra	Distal urethra	Total number of gland	Paraurethral inflammation	Paraurethral ectasia	Paraurethral bleeding	Cystic gland
1	96	168	17	13	198	Yes	No	No	Yes
2	75	98	15	67	180	No	No	Yes	Yes
3	85	0	10	0	10	No	No	No	Yes
4	54	28	7	6	41	Yes	Yes	No	No
5	51	28	10	20	58	Yes	No	No	No
6	74	17	15	19	51	Yes	Yes	No	No
7	60	9	30	20	59	No	No	No	No
8	58	5	5	4	14	Yes	Yes	No	No
14	47	1	16	6	23	Yes	No	No	No
16	75	34	16	8	58	No	No	No	Yes
17	71	107	64	48	219	No	No	No	Yes
18	65	38	8	9	55	No	Yes	No	Yes
19	45	12	10	10	32	Yes	Yes	No	No
20	68	23	26	6	55	Yes	Yes	No	No
21	96	6	8	2	16	Yes	Yes	No	No
22	40	15	3	0	18	Yes	Yes	No	No
23	81	72	17	19	108	No	Yes	No	No
26	76	7	23	43	73	No	Yes	No	No
27	64	35	44	30	109	Yes	No	No	No
28	39	47	27	59	133	Yes	No	No	No
29	42	8	5	26	39	No	No	No	Yes
30	25	5	0	43	48	Yes	Yes	No	No
31	53	6	11	24	41	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
32	85	14	31	25	70	Yes	No	No	Yes

Patient	Number of prostate glands			Total number of gland	Menopause
Patient	Proximal urethra	Median urethra	Distal urethra	Total number of gland	Menopause
1	168	17	13	198	Yes
2	98	15	67	180	Yes
3	0	10	0	10	Yes
6	17	15	19	51	Yes
7	9	30	20	59	Yes
8	5	5	4	14	No
14	1	16	6	23	No
16	34	16	8	58	Yes
17	107	64	48	219	Yes
18	38	8	9	55	Yes
19	12	10	10	32	No
20	23	26	6	55	Yes
21	6	8	2	16	Yes
22	15	3	0	18	No
23	72	17	19	108	Yes
26	7	23	43	73	Yes
27	35	44	30	109	Yes
28	47	27	59	133	No
29	8	5	26	39	No
30	5	0	43	48	No
32	14	31	25	70	Yes

Sociedade Brasileira de Patologia Clínica, Rua Dois de Dezembro,78/909 - Catete, CEP: 22220-040v - Rio de Janeiro - RJ, Tel.: +55 21 - 3077-1400 / 3077-1408, Fax.: +55 21 - 2205-3386 - Rio de Janeiro - RJ - Brazil
E-mail: jbpml@sbpc.org.br

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[1] CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Thalita Cristina de Mello Costa, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 5.544; Vila São Jorge, CEP: 15090-000; São José do Rio Preto-SP, Brasil. e-mail: thalitamcosta@hotmail.com