REVIEW   Free access

Minerva Urologica e Nefrologica 2018 December;70(6):559-69

DOI: 10.23736/S0393-2249.18.03215-0

Copyright © 2018 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

New insight in penile cancer

Michele MARCHIONI ¹, Francesco BERARDINELLI ², Cosimo DE NUNZIO ³, Philippe SPIESS ⁴, Francesco PORPIGLIA ⁵, Luigi SCHIPS ¹, Luca CINDOLO ² ✉

¹ Department of Urology, SS Annunziata Hospital, “G. D’Annunzio” University of Chieti, Chieti, Italy; ² Department of Urology, ASL Abruzzo 2, Chieti, Italy; ³ Department of Urology, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy; ⁴ Department of Genitourinary Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA; ⁵ Division of Urology, San Luigi Gonzaga Hospital, University of Turin, Orbassano, Turin, Italy

Penile cancer is a rare disease. Most of penile cancer are squamous cell carcinoma. Diagnosis is based on self-examination, clinical examination and confirmatory biopsy. Several imaging techniques could be used for staging purposes. However, the best modality for staging in intermediate and high-risk patients is by surgical evaluation and the use of inguinal lymph node dissection, that has also a therapeutic effect. Unfortunately, inguinal lymph node dissection is underused. Penile cancer treatment may have a major adverse impact on urinary and sexual function and on quality of life. Penile-sparing surgery and radiation therapies are available, and in selected patients offer good outcomes with acceptable rates of local recurrence. Penile-sparing surgery should be preferred when indicated. Follow-up with periodical controls is mandatory up to 5 years. However, risk of local, nodal and distant recurrence after 5 years was reported. Imaging is not routinely recommended during follow-up. Patients should be trained to self-examination during the follow-up.

KEY WORDS: Penile neoplasms - Organ sparing treatments - Lymph node excision - Carcinoma, squamous cell