Endocurietherapy of penis cancer

Forty-five carcinomas of the penis have been treated with curietherapy using 192Ir to a dose of 6500 rad. With a minimum follow-up of 4 years, it appears that small lesions (less than 30 mm) have excellent local results (2 recurrences in 14 cases). With only a slight potential for lympatic extension, these patients are alive without evidence of disease after 4 years. The lesions of moderate size (30-40 mm) have a poorer prognosis because of more frequent lymphatic extention and disseminated metastases; in contrast, the local results are still quite satisfactory (4 recurrences in 24 cases). The large lesions (more than 40 mm) recur or necrotize (5 recurrences and 2 necroses in 7 cases). In conclusion, curietherapy of epidermoid carcinomas of the penis is an excellent primary treatment for small or moderate lesions (T1, T2, and T3a) if one wishes to avoid surgical mutilation.