Treatments


Penile cancer treatment is based on several individual factors, including the extent of the disease, your overall health condition, and your medical history. You have the services of our multidisciplinary team of cancer specialists who will work together to develop a comprehensive treatment plan for you and your cancer. Types of treatments may include:

  • Surgery

    For all stages of penile cancer, surgery is the most common treatment. Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center offers the following types of surgery, based on your exact diagnosis.

    • Mohs Microsurgery: In this delicate procedure, the tumor is cut from the skin in thin layers. The surgeon views the edges of the tumor on each layer of tumor removed through a microscope to check for cancer cells. This type of surgery removes as little healthy tissue as possible and is often used to remove cancer on the skin.

    • Laser Surgery: With a laser beam, the surgeon makes bloodless cuts in the tissue, or to remove a surface tumor.

    • Cryosurgery: This treatment involves freezing abnormal tissue to destroy it.

    • Circumcision: If the tumor is on the foreskin of the penis, it can be removed by circumcision.

    • Wide Local Excision: Surgery removes cancerous cells and some healthy tissue around it.

    • Amputation of the Penis: If cancer is in all or most of the penis, the surgeon might recommend a partial or total penectomy. A new penis can be rebuilt.

  • Chemotherapy

    The purpose of chemotherapy is to shrink the cancer cells when it has spread to other body parts of the body. It also treats tumors that cannot be treated with surgery or radiation therapy. In some cases, it may be used to reduce the size of a tumor before surgery. Stage 0 penile cancer can be treated with topical (a lotion or cream) chemotherapy.

    • If you require intravenous (infusion) chemotherapy, you can receive it at the Comprehensive Treatment Unit (CTU) at Sylvester's main location in Miami. This 12,000-square-foot unit includes 33 recliners and 11 private rooms. If you prefer, you may have your infusion treatments at the Kendall, Plantation, Hollywood, Coral Springs, and Deerfield Beach locations.

  • Biologic Therapy

    Biologic Therapy – also called biotherapy or immunotherapy – relies on your immune system to fight cancer. Substances made by the body or within a laboratory boost, direct, or restore the body's natural defenses against cancer. Topical biologic therapy with imiquimod can be used in cases of stage 0 penile cancer.

  • Radiation Therapy

    This treatment is typically used before or after surgery, to shrink a tumor or to treat remaining cancer cells. If surgery is not possible, radiation therapy alone can treat penile cancer. External radiation therapy precisely sends high levels of radiation directly to the cancer cells using a machine directed at the body. Sometimes, internal radiation called brachytherapy can be used to direct radiation internally to a penile tumor. Radiation treatments are painless. They typically last only a few minutes.