Cancer of the penis

A malignant (cancerous) tumor that arises from the tissues of the PENIS. Cancer of the penis is rare and usually occurs in men over age 50. Men who are uncircumcised and men who have HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS (HPV) infection have increased risk for cancer of the penis. Early symptoms include a painless growth, bump, or sore at the tip of the penis. In an uncircumcised man such a growth most commonly appears beneath the foreskin, which often delays the cancer’s detection. Early diagnosis and treatment allow the least invasive treatment. Surgery is the preferred treatment to remove the cancerous tumor and a safe margin of healthy tissue. Follow-up surgery to reconstruct the penis is sometimes necessary. Depending on how advanced the cancer is, the oncologist may recommend RADIATION THERAPY or CHEMOTHERAPY in addition to surgery.

See also CANCER TREATMENT OPTIONS AND DECISIONS; CIRCUMCISION; METASTASIS; PROSTATE CANCER; SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE (STD) PREVENTION; PLASTIC SURGERY; SURGERY FOR CANCER; TESTICULAR CANCER.

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