Outstanding cancer care requires an unparalleled team. Our specialists in medical oncology, chemotherapy, radiation medicine, pathology and urology all work and consult together to deliver you the most effective treatments. 

If penile cancer is detected very early, it may be treatable with:

  • Cryotherapy, where the tumor is frozen off
  • Laser therapy, where the tumor is burned off
  • Topical skin cream

Different types of surgery may be used to remove the cancer and prevent its return, including:

  • Circumcision, where the foreskin of the penis is removed
  • Glansectomy, which removes the tip of the penis
  • Emasculation, which removes the penis, scrotum and testicles
  • Partial penectomy, which removes more of the penis than just the head
  • Total penectomy, which removes the entire penis
  • Wide local excision, which cuts out the tumor and the skin immediately around it

If the cancer has spread to your lymph nodes, surgery will also be required to remove them. The type of surgery you need will be dependent on the stage of your cancer, but your surgical team will do everything to ensure treatment is as conservative as possible. 

Radiation may be used to treat smaller tumors, especially in men who cannot undergo surgery for other medical reasons. It may also be used after surgery, often in conjunction with chemotherapy, to prevent the cancer’s recurrence. Learn more about our Radiation Oncology services.

Topical chemotherapy, where the drugs are placed directly on the skin, may be used for some early stage penile cancers. Intravenous or oral chemotherapy may be used if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, or after surgery to prevent the cancer’s recurrence.

NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center - A Cancer Center Designated by the National Cancer Institute

Markey Cancer Center is designated by the National Cancer Institute as a Comprehensive Cancer Center – a distinction that recognizes our commitment to accelerating precision cancer research and care to patients. We are the first and only NCI-Comprehensive Cancer Center in Kentucky, and one of 57 in the nation.

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