Diagnosis and treatment of penile verrucous carcinoma / 中华泌尿外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the diagnosis and treatment of penile verrucous carcinoma,a distinctive variant of squamous cell carcinoma. Methods The clinical data of 8 patients (mean age,46 years) with penile verrucous carcinoma were analyzed retrospectively.All the tumors showed exophytic,papillary lesions,ranging from 2 to 6 cm in the greatest dimension.The tumors were located at glans in 5 patients and invaded to shafts in the other 3.The diagnosis was established by biopsy of the lesion.Three patients with tumor invading to shafts and 1 patient with large tumor at glans underwent partial penectomy, while the other 4 with the tumors localized at glans were treated by local excision. Results Histopathologic examination of the specimens confirmed tumors-free surgical margins in all the cases.The tumor cells were mostly well-differentiated.Fourteen months postoperatively,local recurrence occurred in 1 patient with local excision and partial penectomy was performed; postoperative follow-up of 9 years showed no recurrence and metastasis. During a follow-up of 4 to 13 years,the other 7 patients were disease-free.The patients with local excision of the tumors reported satisfaction of their sexual lives. Conclusions Verrucous carcinoma of penis is characterized by slow growth and a locally aggressive nature.It seldom develops metastasis to regional lymph nodes or distant areas.The prognosis is favorable after appropriate treatment.