Although penile cancer is rare, it is real and it happens. The sooner it is detected, the greater the chances of beneficial therapeutic outcomes. Any suspicious discoloration, bump or ulcer on the penis should be called to the attention of a doctor. Because the cancer is so rare, few doctors have seen it and some may not consider it when working up a diagnosis.
The Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute is home to some of the world's leading urologists and cancer specialists. They are always available for primary examinations or consultation with other urologists and primary care physicians.
What is penile cancer?
As with all cancers, penile cancer evolves from a disruption in one or more genes in a cell's DNA. Genes control cell activities including division and growth. When cells die, a normal and common event, they are replaced by new cells as the body needs them. However, when the genes that orchestrate this natural replacement process are disrupted by chemicals, illness, or other unknown factors, control over cell division and growth is lost. The resultant uncontrolled mass of tissue is a tumor.
The majority (48%) of penile cancers begin as a lesion (a noticeable change in tissue) in the glans, the rounded end of the penis or in the prepuce (21%), the loose skin that folds over the base of the glans. About 9% of penile cancers involve both the glans and prepuce; 6% involve the coronal sulcus, the groove beneath the glans, and about 2% occur on the shaft.
