Dermatoses of the Glans Penis in Korea: A 10-Year Single Center Experience

A variety of infectious, inflammatory, and neoplastic dermatoses can develop on the glans penis, and definitive diagnosis in such cases may be difficult owing to their non-specific symptoms and clinical appearance. Furthermore, data on dermatoses of the glans penis in Korea are limited.

In the present study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of dermatoses of the glans penis in Korea and provide clinical data to assist in making an accurate diagnosis.

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records, clinical photographs, and histologic slides of 65 patients with dermatoses of the glans penis that visited the Pusan National University Hospital between January 2004 and August 2013.

Twenty-six types of dermatoses were identified: inflammatory dermatosis was the most common (38/65, 58.5%), followed by infectious (13/65, 20.0%), neoplastic (10/65, 15.4%), and other dermatoses (4/65, 6.2%). The most common dermatosis of the glans penis was seborrheic dermatitis, followed by lichen planus, herpes progenitalis, condyloma accuminatum, erythroplasia of Queyrat, Zoon's balanitis, and psoriasis. In the topographic analysis, the most common type of dermatosis was dermatoses that localized to the glans penis (39/65, 60.0%), followed by dermatoses involving the extra-genitalia and glans penis (22/65, 33.9%), and the genitalia (glans penis plus other genital areas) (4/65, 6.2%).

This study shows the usefulness of a topographic approach in the diagnosis of dermatoses of the glans penis in Korea. The findings could be used as baseline data for establishing an accurate diagnosis in Koreans.