Radiation-induced carcinoma of the penis

Five patients with a second penile cancer following irradiation of a primary squamous cell carcinoma of the penis were treated at our cancer. The first cancers had completely regressed within 4 months of irradiation. The second cancers developed in the radiation field at a mean latent period of 158 months (range 124-242). Further, all patients had experienced early radiation reaction and showed late radiation stigmata, pointing to the possible radiation-induced nature of the second cancer. Although all cancers were squamous cell carcinomas, the second cancers were uniformly invasive and of a higher grade than the first. Radiation-induced second cancers, although rare, should be considered a late complication of primary irradiation of squamous cell carcinoma of the penis.