The treatment you are offered for cancer of the penis will depend on how big your cancer is, and whether it has spread to other parts of your body.

Your doctors will tell you about the risks, benefits and side-effects of the treatments being offered, and how they may affect your life afterwards. Your doctor will also discuss the possibility of performing reconstructive surgery.

You will then need to agree to the treatment before it can start. This is called giving your consent. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if there is anything you don’t understand.

The treatments you may be offered are:

Laser treatment
If the cancer is very small, doctors may be able to use a laser beam to remove it. This avoids the need for surgery.

Surgery
This may be:

• an operation to remove the foreskin (circumcision) if the cancer is on the foreskin and nowhere else
• plastic surgery to the glans of the penis (glanuloplasty or glansectomy). Conservative removal of the foreskin and tip of penis which is replaced by a skin graft from the thigh. This gives an excellent cosmetic and functional result
• an operation to remove part of the penis (a partial penectomy)
• an operation to remove all of the penis (a total penectomy). Your doctors will do this only if there is no other option.

If the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes in your groin, your doctors may decide to remove the nodes. This would normally be done during a second operation.

Radiotherapy
Radiotherapy uses radiation to kill cancer cells.

The radiation can be given from inside or outside the body. If the cancer is small, your doctor may recommend internal radiotherapy. With this method, tiny radioactive seeds are placed in or near the cancer. For other penile cancers, external beam is the more usual method. This means that a machine directs high energy X-rays at the cancer.

Chemotherapy
If the cancer is advanced and has spread widely, you may be offered chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy uses special drugs to kill cancer cells. The drugs reach the cancer cells wherever they are in the body.

After your treatment has finished you will have follow-up appointments so that the doctor can check how you are getting on.

Related links
Giving your consent
What is the lymphatic system?
Radiotherapy - general
Chemotherapy - general