The American Cancer Society estimates that about 2,200 new cases of penile cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2020.
This rare cancer occurs in less than 1 in 100,000 men, less than 1% of cancers in men in the US.
Symptoms of Penile Cancer
Patients with penile cancer may have sores, discharge, and bleeding of the penis.
Treatments for Penile Cancer
Surgery is the most common treatment for all stages of penile cancer. The cancer may be removed using Mohs microsurgery, laser surgery or cryosurgery. Sometimes circumcision is required to remove part or all of the foreskin of the penis, and in some cases wide local excision surgery is needed to remove the cancer and some normal tissue around it.
In severe cases, surgery to remove part or all of the penis may be required. The lymph nodes in the groin may also need to be removed during surgery.
Some patients require chemotherapy or radiation therapy after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells.
Risk Factors for Penile Cancer
Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection may increase the risk of developing penile cancer. Other risk factors for penile cancer include being age 60 or older, having phimosis (a condition in which the foreskin of the penis cannot be pulled back over the glans), poor personal hygiene, having many sexual partners and using tobacco products.
How Penile Cancer is Diagnosed
Penile cancer can be diagnosed by biopsy of the area suspected to be cancerous. After penile cancer has been diagnosed, tests determine if cancer cells have spread within the penis or to other parts of the body. These may include CT scan, MRI, ultrasound exams, chest X-ray or, if needed, further biopsies.