Penile Cancer Treatment

If you have penile cancer, you’ll want a team dedicated to finding the best treatment. At Henry Ford, our cancer team offers new treatment options while working to preserve quality of life.

We know you may hesitate to get treatment on such a personal and sensitive area. But the earlier you come to us, the higher the chances of successful care. We take the time to talk with you about your concerns. Whenever possible, we look for effective treatments that minimize the impact on your life.

Team-based care for penile cancer treatment

We use a team-based approach to treat all cancers. Your cancer team will work together to build your personalized treatment plan. Your penile cancer team may include:

• Urologists
• Plastic Surgeons
• Radiation oncologists
• Medical oncologists
• Radiologists
• Pathologists
• Psychologists
• Social workers

Each person we care for also has his own nurse navigator to help schedule appointments and explain what to expect. The navigator stays with you through treatment and recovery.

Personalized penile cancer treatment plan

Most penile cancers grow slowly. Depending on how the disease is staged after penile cancer diagnosis, your cancer team will recommend various treatment options.

Your treatment options may include:

• Surgery: Many cases of penile cancer need surgery. We have minimally invasive techniques that use smaller incisions and shorten recovery time. We always try to spare penis function and appearance as much as possible while protecting your health. Learn more about penile cancer surgery.
• Chemotherapy: Your team may give you drugs to destroy cancer cells, typically before or after surgery. If penile cancer is caught early, a topical cream with chemotherapy may provide all the treatment you need.
• Radiation therapy: We have several methods of radiation therapy we can use, either as stand-alone treatment or combined with other approaches. Our team continues to innovate with radiation therapy, including with radiosurgery. This precise form delivers high doses of therapy in fewer sessions.
• Laser therapy: We may use a laser on the surface of the penis when cancer gets caught early. By carefully burning (ablating) the cancerous cells, we get rid of the cancer while leaving healthy cells alone.

Clinical trials for penile cancer

Clinical trials help the medical field find new and improved ways to care for disease. These studies may explore new diagnosis methods, surgical techniques or medications.

At Henry Ford, you may be eligible for a clinical trial focused on penile cancer. We continue to explore new treatments, such as harnessing the body’s immune system to fight cancer. Talk to your team about clinical trial opportunities.

Options for protecting fertility

With treatment, we do everything we can to preserve penis function. But you may want to consider sperm banking if you’re interested in starting a family after your care. That’s why our team includes experts in reproductive medicine.

Learn more about our Center for Reproductive Medicine.