Carcinoma of the penis

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Urology
• Surgical Oncology

Background:

• Penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) is a rare but aggressive malignancy.
• Accurate staging and grading are crucial for effective treatment planning and prognosis.
• Optimal management strategies for different stages of PSCC remain a focus of research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review treatment outcomes for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the penis.
• To correlate prognosis with clinical staging and histological grading.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of different treatment modalities for PSCC.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 63 patients diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the penis.
• Analysis of treatment approaches based on clinical stage and histological grade.
• Assessment of survival rates and treatment-related complications.

Main Results:

• Overall 3-year survival was 77% and 5-year survival was 59%.
• Stage I and II PSCC demonstrated best outcomes with surgery alone.
• Stage III and IV PSCC treated with amputation and radiotherapy showed improved results.
• Primary surgery for clinically positive nodes had <50% success and led to complications like infection and lymphoedema.
• Observation of enlarged inguinal nodes for 3 months revealed a high rate of spontaneous resolution, suggesting an inflammatory origin.

Conclusions:

• Prognosis for PSCC is significantly influenced by clinical stage and histological grade.
• Tailored treatment strategies, including surgery and radiotherapy, are essential for optimizing survival.
• Conservative management of clinically suspicious inguinal lymph nodes may be appropriate in select cases, avoiding unnecessary surgical intervention and its associated morbidity.