Survival and Causes of Death in Penile Cancer from A Korean Nationwide Data

Penile cancer is a rare malignancy. We aimed to update 5-year survival outcomes and cause of death in penile cancer using a nationally representative cohort dataset.

From the Cancer Public Library Database, we identified 415 men aged ≥30 years who were diagnosed with penile cancer between 2013 and 2019. Five-year overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and relative survival (RS) were evaluated according to age at diagnosis, cancer stage, and primary treatment modalities. Causes of death in penile cancer were also examined according to the above variables.

During a median follow-up of 2.9 years, 148 patients (35.7%) died. Five-year OS, CSS, and RS were 61.0%, 75.3% and 71.4%, respectively. Younger patients and those with localized stages exhibited more favorable survival. Patients treated with surgery alone had the highest survival. Among the 148 deaths, penile cancer accounted for 58.8%, followed by other cancers (18.9%). Non-penile cancer deaths predominated in older patients and those with localized stages.

Five-year survival outcomes for penile cancer in Korea were comparable to those reported in Western countries and remained largely unchanged from historical estimates. Age, stage, and treatment modality were strong determinants of survival. Older patients and those diagnosed with localized disease more frequently died from causes other than penile cancer itself, highlighting the importance of comprehensive survivorship care and consideration of overall health status and comorbidity burden beyond oncologic surveillance.