Penile Cancer and Our Experience at Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Purpose: Penile cancer is a rare malignancy which accounts for <1% of adult male cancers. Phimosis, poor hygiene, smoking and human papillomavirus infection (type 16 and 18) are major risk factors for penile cancer. This analysis is to know the mode of presentation and treatment outcome of penile cancer in our setting.Materials and Methods: We reviewed case notes of all patients who had histologically proven penile cancer from January 2005 to December 2014. Patient’s demographics, predisposing factors, symptoms, type of tumour, treatment and its outcome were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social sciences 19.Results: A total number of 19 patients who had histologically proven penile cancer were included in the study. Circumcision was done in 16 (84.2%), while 3 (15.8%) were uncircumcised. Most of the patients presented with a lesion 16 (84.2%) and the rest 3 (15.8%) with pain. Patients having delayed presentation by 1 year were 15 (78.9%), 3 (15.8%) after 2 years and one patient (5.3%) after 5 years. Partial and total penectomy were performed in 4 (40%) patients each while wide local excision in 2 (20%) of the patients (n = 10). 4 (30.7%) patients had complication of treatment. The overall 5-year survival was 69.2%.Conclusion: Penile cancer is an aggressive malignancy with generally poor outcome. There is a need of awareness amongst the masses of this cancer to detect the disease at an early stage. There is further need for specialised oncological centre to improve survival rates and outcome.Key words: Circumcision, penectomy, penile cancer, phimosis