Making penile cancer treatment decisions

After the cancer is found and staged, your cancer care team will discuss treatment options with you. You should take time and think about all of your choices. In choosing a treatment plan, factors to consider include:

• The type and stage of your cancer
• Your overall physical health
• Your personal preferences about treatments and their side effects

If time permits, it is often a good idea to seek a second opinion. A second opinion can provide more information and help you feel more confident about the treatment plan you have chosen. Some insurance companies even require a second opinion before they will agree to pay for certain treatments.

The main types of treatments that can be used to treat penile cancers are:

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy

Surgery is the main method of treatment for nearly all penile cancers, but sometimes radiation therapy may be used, either instead of or in addition to surgery. Chemotherapy may be given if the cancer has spread.

The goal of your cancer care team is to treat the cancer effectively while limiting the treatment's effects on the function and appearance of the penis. If the cancer can't be cured, the goal may be to remove or destroy as much of the cancer as possible and to prevent the tumor from growing, spreading, or returning for as long as possible. Sometimes treatment is aimed at relieving symptoms, such as pain or bleeding, even if you won't be cured.