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Updated: Mar 3, 2026

Pre-clinical Orthotopic Murine Model of Human Prostate Cancer
Published on: August 29, 2016
Unusual asymptomatic presentation of bladder cancer metastatic to the penis
Francesca Giunchi1, Francesco Vasuri1, Vagnoni Valerio2
1Pathology Service Addarii Institute of Oncology, University of Bologna, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
Abstract:
Penile metastasis is an extremely rare event and mainly originate from primary pelvic tumor sites such us urinary bladder, gastro-intestinal tract and prostate and more rarely from respiratory system, bone tumors and melanoma. Here we describe the unusual presentation of two bladder urothelial cancer metastatic to the penis with no relevant clinical symptoms. Namely, a 69 years-old man with a warthy lesions of the foreskin and the glans misunderstood for a condylomata that at histological and immunohistochemical analysis showed a bladder urothelial carcinoma; and a 71 years-old man with reddish skin lesion of the glans, a previous history of bladder and urethral carcinoma and histological pagetoid spread of urothelial cancer to the glans. Recurrent bladder urothelial carcinoma is usually a visceral disease that rarely presents as a superficial asymptomatic skin lesion. The two reported cases were asymptomatic superficial penis metastases with a relatively slow growth and a fairy good prognosis after conservative surgical approach. Accurate clinical examination of the penis is mandatory for males with history of bladder cancer.
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