This document summarizes risk factors, staging, and management recommendations for carcinoma of the penis. It discusses that chronic inflammation, phimosis, smoking, HPV infection, and multiple sexual partners increase risk. Staging involves physical exam, MRI, CT, and PET imaging. Early stage disease is treated with surgery or radiation, while advanced disease may receive neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery or radiation. Lymph node involvement is managed with lymph node dissection or surveillance. Recurrence is treated with chemotherapy, which has shown response rates of 30-50% in trials combining agents like cisplatin and taxanes. Targeted therapies like cetuximab may also have efficacy in advanced disease.
2. Risk factors..
Risk factor Relevance
Phimosis OR 11-16
chronic penile inflammation
(balanoposthitis related
to phimosis)
balanitis xerotica obliterans (lichen
sclerosus)
Increased risk
sporalene and UV-A phototherapy for
various
dermatologic conditions such as psoriasis
Incidence increases 9 folds with > 250
treatments
Smoking 5 fold increase
HPV infection, esp types 16 and 18 Present in 22 68% cases
Rural area, low SE status, unmarried
Multiple sexual partners, early age if
intercourse
3-5 fold increased risk
6. N: 193
Included the following:
Histological grade
Depth of infiltration
PNI
Score:
0: no mets, 7: 80% mets
May be used as a guide to inguinal node dissection
7. Recommendations for staging
Primary tumor
Physical examination, recording morphology, extent and invasion of penile structures.
MRI with artificial erection in selected cases with intended organ preserving surgery.
Inguinal nodes:
Physical examination of both groins, recording number, laterality and characteristics of
inguinal nodes
If nodes are not palpable, invasive lymph node staging in high-risk patients.
If nodes are palpable, a pelvic CT may be indicated, PET/CT is an option.
Distant mets
In N+ patients, abdomino-pelvic CT scan and chest X-ray are required for systemic
staging. PET/CT
scan is an option.
Bone scan if clinically indicated
8. Stage wise management
Tis
Topical 5FU
Laser ablation
Resurfacing of glans
Ta, T1a
Wide excision
Laser
Glansectomy
EBRT or brachyRx
9. T2 with corpora cavernosa invasion
Partial amputation
RT for lesions <4cm
T3 with urethral involvement
Partial or total penectomy with perineal
urethrostomy
T4 lesion:
NACT followed by surgery in responders
Pall EBRT
11. cN0 nodes:
Surveillance: only for very early lesions, pTa, pTis
Invasive nodal lesions:
Modified ILND
SLNB : Tc99 colloid or patent blue, sensi: 88-90%
If LN are found to be positive: ipsilateral ILND is
indicated
12. Palpable inguinal nodes: cN1, cN2
Antibiotics and reassessment: NOT RECOMMENDED
no additional investigation is required if palpable clinically
However, CT/ MRI/ PET may be used to rule out pelvis LN
Options:
Ipsilateral ILND
Pelvis LND
If two or more positive lymph nodes or
Ornellas AA,. J Surg Oncol 2008 May
one node with extracapsular extension (pN3)
Lughezzani G,. J Urol 2013 Nov
13. Fixed nodes
Metastatic workup is necessary
Surgery is not generally recommended
Multimodal treatment is recommended
NACT followed by surgery in responders
Long term survival of 30%
Pizzocaro G, Piva L. Adjuvant and neoadjuvant
vincristine, bleomycin, and methotrexate for
inguinal metastases from squamous cell
carcinoma of the penis. Acta Oncol
1988;27(6b):823-4
14. Nodal recurrence
If after surveillance: same principles apply as
before
If after LND
Mets w/u
NACT or ACT after re surgery if feasible
15. Role of RT
Not much published data
Does not improve survival either in neoadjuvant
or adjuvant settings
Prospective trial comparing RT vs surgery: surgery
better
Kulkarni JN, Kamat MR. et al Eur Urol 1994
Adjuvant chemo is better than adjuvant RT:
retrospective data
Lucky MA, Rogers B, Parr NJ. Referrals into a dedicated
British penile cancer centre and sources of
possible delay. Sex Transm Infect 2009
16. Role of chemotherapy
Adjuvant:
Italian group: 1979-1990
25 pts treated with weekly VMB (VCR, bleomycin,
mtx): for 12 couses
Compared to retrospective cohort of 35pts
Median f/u 42 months
Long term DFS: 84% vs 39%
17. N: 19 pts
Median f/u: 15.3 months
Median DFS was 16.2 months
Median OS was not reached
19. NACT for fixed or relapsed nodes
Small retrospective studies of 5-20 patients
have reported bleomycin-vincristine-
methotrexate (BVM) and bleomycin-
methotrexate-cisplatin (BMP)
Hakenberg OW, Nippgen JB, Froehner M, et al. Cisplatin,
methotrexate and bleomycin for treating
advanced penile carcinoma. BJU Int 2006
Leijte JA, Kerst JM, Bais E, et al. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in
advanced penile carcinoma. Eur Urol 2007
20. N : 28
irinotecan (60 mg/m2) on days 1, 8 and 15
and cisplatin (80mg/m2) administered every
28 days
T3/4, N1-3, M1 were included
Failed to demonstrate a response rate of more
than 30%
21. N: 30
N2/3 disease, non metastatic
ORR: 50%
Median f/u 34 months
30% remained alive and disease free
TTP and OS was significantly associated with
Response
Absence of bilateral residual tumor
Absence of PNE
23. Advanced metastatic and relapsed
disease
Palliative chemotherapy
Initial studies showed response to cisplatin
Recent studies have shown even better
response on addition of taxanes
Virtually no data on second lien therapy
Upcoming data on EGFR blockade
Cetuximab, panitumumab