The signs and symptoms below don’t always mean a man has penile cancer. In fact, many are more likely to be caused by other conditions. Still, if you have any of them, see a doctor right away so their cause can be found and treated, if needed. The sooner a diagnosis is made, the sooner you can start treatment and the better it is likely to work.
The first sign of penile cancer is most often a change in the skin of the penis. This is most likely to be on the glans (tip) of the penis or on the foreskin (in uncircumcised men), but it can also be on the shaft. These changes may include:
Sores or lumps from penile cancer usually don't hurt, but they might. You should see a doctor if you find any kind of new growth or other abnormality on your penis, even if it's not painful. Any change that doesn't get better in about 4 weeks, or gets worse, should be checked by a doctor.
Swelling at the end of the penis, especially when the foreskin is constricted, is another possible sign of penile cancer. It may be harder to draw back the foreskin.
If the cancer spreads from the penis, it most often travels first to lymph nodes in the groin. This can make those lymph nodes swell. Lymph nodes are collections of immune system cells. Normally, they are bean-sized and can barely be felt at all. If they're swollen, the lymph nodes may feel like smooth lumps under the skin.
But swollen lymph nodes don’t always mean that cancer has spread there. More commonly, lymph nodes swell in response to an infection. The skin in and around a penile cancer can often become infected, which might cause the nearby lymph nodes to swell, even if the cancer hasn’t reached them.
The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team
Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as journalists, editors, and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.
Last Revised: June 25, 2018
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