Penile Cancer

As stated earlier in this chapter, men can be afflicted with penile cancer, a rare malig­nancy that can be deadly if not diagnosed and treated in its earliest stages. Of the approximately 1,300 men in the United States who develop penile cancer in a given year, only half will be alive 5 years later. However, early detection yields a much improved survival rate, a fact that emphasizes the critical importance of seeking medi­cal attention for any sore on the penis (Zhu et al., 2011) (see also the Your Sexual Health box, "Male Genital Self-Examination," earlier in this chapter for a description of the early symptoms of penile cancer). Risk factors associated with penile cancer include being over age 50; having a history of multiple sexual partners and sexually transmitted infections, especially genital warts; maintaining poor genital hygiene; being uncircumcised (see earlier discussion of circumcision); experiencing phimosis; and having a long history of tobacco use (Brossman, 2008; Pettaway, 2008). Penile cancer, left untreated, will ultimately destroy the entire penis and spread to lymph nodes and beyond.