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Treatment of Stage I Penile Cancer
Source: Penile Cancer Treatment (PDQ®)–Health Professional Version, National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: May 7, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.
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Stage I penile cancer is defined by the following TNM classification:[1]
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T1a, N0, M0
Stage I penile cancer is curable.[2]
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Treatment options:
For lesions limited to the foreskin, wide local excision with circumcision may be adequate therapy for control.
For infiltrating tumors of the glans with or without involvement of the adjacent skin, the choice of therapy is dictated by tumor size, extent of infiltration, and degree of tumor destruction of normal tissue. Equivalent therapeutic options include:
For infiltrating tumors of the glans with or without involvement of the adjacent skin, the choice of therapy is dictated by tumor size, extent of infiltration, and degree of tumor destruction of normal tissue. Equivalent therapeutic options include:
Penile amputation.[3]
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For infiltrating tumors of the glans with or without involvement of the adjacent skin, the choice of therapy is dictated by tumor size, extent of infiltration, and degree of tumor destruction of normal tissue. Equivalent therapeutic options include:
Radiation therapy (i.e., external-beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy).[4,5]
For infiltrating tumors of the glans with or without involvement of the adjacent skin, the choice of therapy is dictated by tumor size, extent of infiltration, and degree of tumor destruction of normal tissue. Equivalent therapeutic options include:
Microscopically controlled surgery.[6]
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Nd:YAG laser therapy has offered excellent control/cure with preservation of cosmetic appearance and sexual function (under clinical evaluation).[7,8]
Because of the high incidence of microscopic node metastases, elective adjunctive inguinal dissection of clinically uninvolved (negative) lymph nodes in conjunction with amputation is often used for patients with poorly differentiated tumors. Lymphadenectomy can carry substantial morbidity, such as infection, skin necrosis, wound breakdown, chronic edema, and even a low, but finite, mortality rate. The impact of prophylactic lymphadenectomy on survival is not known. For these reasons, opinions vary on its use.[9-12]
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Preserved source evidence · Not medical advice