What is penile cancer?
Penile cancer (penis cancer) is a disease in which cancerous (malignant) cells form in the tissues of the penis. Penile cancer is rare, affecting one in every 100,000 males in the United States each year.
Most penile cancers start in skin cells. These early-stage penile cancers tend to be highly curable. They often involve the care of a dermatologist (skin specialist) along with a urologic oncologist (doctor who specializes in urologic cancers like penile cancer).
Penis cancer can cause a wide range of feelings, anxieties and questions. At Penn Medicine, we address all your concerns. We put our expertise to work for you, creating a treatment plan guided by a detailed diagnosis, your lifestyle, personality and goals. We work tirelessly on your behalf because every second counts.
Types of penis cancer
We diagnose, stage and treat all types of penile cancer, including:
- Squamous cell carcinoma: Squamous cell carcinomas account for 95 percent of all penile cancers. They begin in the squamous cells, the flat skin cells that make up your skin's outer layer. The earliest stage of squamous cell carcinoma is penile carcinoma in situ (CIS). If you have penile carcinoma in situ, the cancer is only in the top-most layers of your skin. Squamous cell carcinomas tend to grow slowly.
- Basal cell carcinoma: Basal cell carcinomas account for a small percentage of penile cancers. They begin in the basal cells. The basal cells make new skin when older skin dies. Basal cell carcinomas tend to grow slowly and rarely spread.
- Melanoma: Melanoma is an aggressive type of skin cancer that tends to grow and spread quickly. It begins in the skin cells that control your skin color. Only a small percentage of penile cancers are melanomas.
Penile cancer risk factors
The exact cause of penile cancer isn't known. But certain factors can increase your risk of a penile cancer diagnosis.
Research has shown that the human papillomavirus (HPV) increases penile cancer risk. Boys can lower their penile cancer risk by getting the HPV vaccine. Other risk factors include:
- Being older than 60
- Tobacco use
- Having many sexual partners
- Having poor personal hygiene
Having one or more of these risk factors does not guarantee that you will develop penile cancer. Speak with a doctor to understand your personal risk.
Penile cancer care: the Penn Medicine advantage
Because penile cancer is rare, it can be hard to find a hospital with experience treating it. But at Penn Medicine, penile cancer care is one of our specialties. You receive comprehensive care that effectively treats cancer and maximizes your quality of life.
You can also expect:
- Penile cancer program: We have dedicated resources for males diagnosed with penile cancer. No matter the stage or complexity, you have access to every available treatment option.
- Team-oriented care: Our penile cancer program is integrated with the rest of our genitourinary (GU) and urologic cancer team. Your doctors work side-by-side with experts in radiation, medical oncology, dermatology, cancer surgery and reconstructive plastic surgery. This collaboration ensures you receive complete, well-planned care that covers every angle.
- Comprehensive treatments: From chemotherapy creams to minimally invasive procedures with shorter recovery times, we offer expertise in all penile cancer treatments.
- Specialization in penile preservation surgery: Our team includes skilled surgeons who specialize in penile-preserving surgeries. The goal of these procedures is to save as much penis tissue as possible while removing the cancer. These complicated surgeries help males keep their sexual function and ability to urinate while standing.
- Fertility preservation: Treatment for penile cancer can cause infertility. But at Penn Medicine, you have fertility options before and after treatment. Penn Fertility Care is a pioneer and leader in services and treatments designed for people who have become infertile from cancer.
- Guidance and support: A nurse navigator and advanced practice providers (APPs) who specialize in urologic cancers are important members of your care team. Your nurse navigator serves as a consistent point of contact and a reliable source of advice, support and direction. And our APPs make sure you receive the tests needed for an accurate, timely diagnosis.
Is penile cancer curable?
Penile cancer has high cure rates when diagnosed early. We often successfully treat early-stage penile cancers with minimally invasive procedures.
Later-stage penile cancers usually require more involved treatments. These treatments may include surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy drugs.
Rated “exceptional” by The National Cancer Institute
Penn Medicine’s Abramson Cancer Center is a world leader in cancer research, patient care, and education. Our status as a national leader in cancer care is reflected in our continuous designation as a Comprehensive Cancer Center by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) since 1973, one of 7 such centers in the United States. The ACC is also a member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, one of a select few cancer centers in the U.S., that are working to promote equitable access to high-quality, advanced cancer care.