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Penile Cancer
Cancer of the penis is a very rare disease in this country. It generally occurs
in patients in their 5th, and 6th or 7th decades of life and in those who
were not circumcised at birth. It is often associated with human papalloma
virus infection (venereal warts). It is usually due to cell type called squamous
cell carcinoma. When it spreads the first areas involved are the groin nodes.
It may then progress to the pelvic lymph nodes and distant metastases.
There are many methods of treating the penile lesion - some of which try to preserve as normal an appearance as possible. These methods include wide local excision with or without a skin graft, laser therapy, radiation therapy and radical surgical excision. We have had a special interest in this disease at the MGH and have the capabilities of providing the full range of treatments. Of course some lesions are amenable to only certain types of therapy.
For more information on penile cancer, click here.