A call for raising public awareness and improving outcomes of penile cancer.

Abstract

Penile cancer is a rare cancer; however, it is associated with psychosocial distress, function loss, and high mortality. The incidence of penile cancer has gradually increased in developed countries, especially among younger men; however, survival rates have alarmingly stagnated over the same period. Nonetheless, penile cancer has unique features that have been long ignored by the health care providers and policymakers that can be easily addressed in improving its early detection. This article discusses stigma as the major cause of delay in seeking help among undiagnosed penile cancer patients, and need for focused public health and antistigma campaigns for improving penile cancer outcomes.