Treatments for stage 2 penile cancer

The following are treatment options for stage 2 penile cancer. Your healthcare team will suggest treatments based on your needs and work with you to develop a treatment plan.

Surgery

Surgery is the main treatment for stage 2 penile cancer. Surgery may or may not be followed with radiation therapy. In some cases, radiation therapy may be given first and surgery used to remove any cancer that is remaining. The types of surgery used are:

Glansectomy is surgery to remove the head (glans) of the penis.

Partial or total penectomy is surgery that removes part or all of the penis.

Radiation therapy

You may be offered radiation therapy for stage 2 penile cancer. Radiation therapy may be given as brachytherapy or external beam radiation therapy.

Radiation therapy may be given instead of surgery in some cases.

Clinical trials

Some clinical trials in Canada are open to men with penile cancer. Clinical trials look at new ways to prevent, find and treat cancer. Find out more about clinical trials.

Expert review and references

  • Alberta Health Services. Penile Cancer. Alberta Health Services; 2011.
  • American Cancer Society. Penile Cancer. Atlanta, GA: American Cancer Society; 2010.
  • Penis. BC Cancer Agency. BC Cancer Agency. Revised ed. Vancouver, BC: BC Cancer Agency; 2011.
  • National Cancer Institute. Penile CancerTreatment (PDQ®) Patient Version. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute; 2011.
  • National Cancer Institute. Penile CancerTreatment (PDQ®) Health Professional Version. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute; 2011.
  • Richter S, Ruether JD, Wood L, Canil C, Moretto P, et al . Management of carcinoma of the penis: consensus statement from the Canadian Association of Genitourinary Medical Oncologists (CAGMO). Canadian Urological Association Journal. 2013.