Surgery,radiation, andchemotherapyare commonly used to treat penile cancer.
When diagnosed and treated early, penile cancer has a five-year survival rate of over 80%.
Types of Penile Cancer
About 95% of penile cancers aresquamous cell carcinomas.
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These cells secrete keratin, a fibrous protein that makes up skin, hair, and nails.
Less common types of penile cancer arebasal cell carcinoma,melanoma,Merkel cell carcinoma, andsmall-cell carcinoma.
Later Stages
As themalignancyprogresses, it can manifest in different ways.
There may be a notable thickening of the glans or prepuce accompanied by the formation of an ulcerative lesion.
Bleeding and the seepage of foul-smelling fluid are common.
Biopsy
If penile cancer is suspected, atissue biopsywill be ordered by your healthcare provider.
There are also various substages that help healthcare providers choose the most appropriate treatment options.
Treatment
The treatment of penile cancer is largely informed by the stage of the disease.
In stages 1 to 3,cancer remissionis the primary aim.
The surgical removal of nearby lymph nodes (lymphadenectomy) may also be performed, but not always.
In people with a low-risk tumor andnonpalpablelymph nodes, some experts endorse a watch-and-wait approach.
Radiation and Chemotherapy
The use of radiation and chemotherapy varies by the stage of the disease.
Prognosis
Penile cancer is highly treatable if diagnosed in the early stages.
The prognosis is based on a measure called theoverall survival rate.
Some may live for far longer.
The NCI categorizes survival times by stages.
As such, the survival rate may be far better for some people and less so for others.
These include:
Coping
Coping with cancer of any sort can be difficult.
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2020 Nov;8(21):1428. doi:10.21037/atm-20-1802
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HPV vaccine recommendations.
