Treatment

TREATMENT OPTIONS BY STAGE

Stage 0 Penile Cancer (Carcinoma in situ)

Treatment of stage 0 may be one of the following:

• Mohs microsurgery (individual layers of cancerous tissue are removed and examined under a microscope one at a time until all cancerous tissue has been removed).
• Topical chemotherapy.
• Topical biologic therapy.
• Laser surgery.
• Cryosurgery.

Stage I Penile Cancer

If the cancer is only in the foreskin, wide local excision and circumcision may be the only treatment needed.

Treatment of stage I penile cancer may include the following:

• Surgery (partial or total penectomy with or without removal of lymph nodes in the groin.
• External or internal radiation therapy.
• Mohs microsurgery.
• A clinical trial of laser therapy.

Stage II Penile Cancer

• Surgery (partial or total penectomy, with or without removal of lymph nodes in the groin).
• External or internal radiation therapy followed by surgery.
• A clinical trial of sentinel lymph node biopsy followed by surgery.
• A clinical trial of laser surgery.

Stage III Penile Cancer

• Surgery (penectomy and removal of lymph nodes in the groin) with or without radiation therapy.
• Radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of sentinel lymph node biopsy followed by surgery.
• A clinical trial of radiosensitizers.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy before or after surgery.

Stage IV Penile Cancer

Treatment of stage IV penile cancer is usually palliative (to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life). Treatment may include the following:

• Surgery (wide local excision and removal of lymph nodes in the groin).
• Radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy before or after surgery.

Reference:

National Cancer Institute, USA.