Overview

Cancer begins when normal cells begin to change and grow uncontrollably, forming a mass called a tumor. A tumor can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous, meaning it can spread to other parts of the body). Penile cancer is a rare form of cancer that occurs mostly in uncircumcised men (men with the foreskin, a piece of skin covering the head of their penis, intact).

The penis is the external genital organ of a man and consists of three chambers of spongy tissue that contain multiple blood vessels, nerves, and smooth muscle. The corpora cavernosa make up two of the chambers and are located on both sides of the upper part of the penis. The corpus spongiosum is located below the corpora cavernosa and surrounds the urethra, the tube through which urine and semen exit the body at an opening called the meatus. At the tip of the penis, the corpora cavernosa expands to form the “helmet”, or glans.

There are several types of penile cancer, including:

Epidermoid/squamous cell carcinoma. Ninety-five percent (95%) of penile cancer is epidermoid, or squamous cell, carcinoma. This means that, under a microscope, the cells resemble the tissues that make up skin. When cancer begins in squamous cells, it is called non-melanoma skin cancer and it can develop anywhere on the penis; most develop on or under the foreskin. When found at an early stage, epidermoid carcinoma can usually be cured.

Basal cell penile cancer. Under the squamous cells in the lower epidermis (one of the layers of the skin tissues that cover the penis) are round cells known as basal cells. These can occasionally become cancerous. This is also called non-melanoma skin cancer. Less than 2% of penile cancers are basal cell cancers.

Melanoma. The deepest layer of the epidermis contains scattered cells called melanocytes, which produce the melanin that gives skin color. Melanoma starts in melanocytes, and it is the most serious of the skin cancer types. This cancer occasionally occurs on the surface of the penis. Read the Guide to Melanoma for more information.

Sarcoma. About 1% of penile cancers are sarcomas, which are cancers that develop in the tissues that support and connect the body, such as blood vessels, smooth muscle, and fat. For more information, read the Guide to Sarcoma.

Statistics

In 2009, an estimated 1,290 men in the United States will be diagnosed with penile cancer. An estimated 300 deaths from the disease will occur this year.

Penile cancer is more common in some parts of Africa, where it accounts for up to 10% of cancers in men, than in the United States.

The five-year relative survival rate (percentage of people who survive at least five years after the cancer is detected, excluding those who die from other diseases) of men with penile cancer is 78%.

Cancer survival statistics should be interpreted with caution. These estimates are based on data from thousands of cases of this type of cancer, but the actual risk for a particular individual may differ. It is not possible to tell a person how long he or she will live with penile cancer. Because the survival statistics are measured in five-year intervals, they may not represent advances made in the treatment or diagnosis of this cancer.

Statistics adapted from the American Cancer Society's publication, Cancer Facts and Figures 2009.

Find out more about basic cancer terms used in this section.