Developing and validating a nomogram for penile cancer survival: A comprehensive study based on SEER and Chinese data

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Medical Statistics
• Cancer Research

Background:

• Penile cancer research and clinical guidelines are limited.
• Accurate prognostic tools are crucial for patient management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a nomogram for predicting overall survival (OS) in penile cancer patients.
• To compare the nomogram's efficacy against the TNM staging system.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from 5744 penile cancer patients (2004-2019) from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database and 103 patients from a Chinese institution.
• Constructed and validated a nomogram using regression analysis, concordance index (c-index), and decision curve analysis.
• Compared nomogram performance with the TNM staging model.

Main Results:

• Identified nine independent risk factors: age, race, marital status, tumor grade, histology, TNM stage, and surgical approach.
• The nomogram demonstrated strong predictive accuracy (c-index > 0.73) and clinical relevance in internal and external validation cohorts.
• The nomogram significantly outperformed the TNM staging system in predictive efficiency.

Conclusions:

• This study presents the first nomogram for penile cancer prognosis validated with SEER data and institutional records.
• The developed nomogram serves as a superior tool for predicting penile cancer prognosis compared to TNM staging.
• Findings enhance clinical decision-making for surgeons managing penile cancer patients.