Surgical treatment of invasive penile cancer--the Heidelberg experience from 1968 to 1994.

Abstract

This study was performed to establish oncological guidelines for the surgical treatment of invasive penile cancer. The medical records of 51 patients with invasive penile cancer seen between 1968 and 1994 were reviewed in respect to treatment and long-term outcome. For stage T1 tumors treated with organ-preserving procedures the local recurrence rats was 56%, whereas no patient experienced a local recurrence after partial amputation. For stage T2 tumors, local recurrence rate was 100% (organ preservation) versus 20% (amputative procedures). There was no significant difference related to regional recurrence between surveillance, inguinal radiation and lymphadenectomy for stage N0 tumors. For N+ stages, survival was related to the extent of inguinal metastasis after dissection (5-year survival rate for N1: 71 vs. 33% for N2/3). Organ-preserving procedures include a high risk of local and regional recurrence. Adjuvant regional lymphadenectomy seems beneficial only in patients with solitary metastasis.