Squamous cell carcinoma of the penis: Fourteen-year experience from a tertiary institution

Abstract

© 2016 Hong Kong College of Radiologists. Objective: Penile cancer is a rare disease and more than 95% of the disease is squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). This study aimed to report data of penile SCC from a regional institution in Hong Kong. Methods: Patients with histologically confirmed SCC of the penis who were referred to our institution between January 2000 and December 2013 were retrospectively identified from our institutional patient database. Clinical, pathological, treatment, and survival data were collected and subsequently analysed. Results: During the study period, 30 cases of SCC of the penis were identified. The median age of patients was 73 years. Most patients presented with T1-T3 disease and around one-third were node-negative. Radical surgery was performed in 18 patients, of whom two received adjuvant radiotherapy. A further patient received radical brachytherapy and another underwent radical external beam radiotherapy. For those who received radical surgery, 44.4% developed locoregional recurrence. The 5-year disease-free survival and overall survival was 32.8% and 43.8%, respectively. Both patients who received radical radiotherapy developed recurrence. The median overall survival of all the patients was 22 months. Conclusion: Optimal upfront radical treatment and salvage surgery is vital for survival. Adjuvant treatment may improve survival but further randomised trials are needed to evaluate the optimal treatment strategies for patients with SCC of the penis.