Treatment Options by Stage

Stage 0 (Carcinoma in Situ)
Stage I Penile Cancer
Stage II Penile Cancer
Stage III Penile Cancer
Stage IV Penile Cancer

A link to a list of current clinical trials is included for each treatment section. For some types or stages of cancer, there may not be any trials listed. Check with your doctor for clinical trials that are not listed here but may be right for you.

Treatment of stage 0 may be one of the following:

• Mohs microsurgery.
• Topical chemotherapy.
• Topical biologic therapy.
• Laser surgery.
• Cryosurgery.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage 0 penile cancer. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

If the cancer is only in the foreskin, wide local excision and circumcision may be the only treatment needed.

Treatment of stage I penile cancer may include the following:

• Surgery (partial or total penectomy with or without removal of lymph nodes in the groin.
• External or internal radiation therapy.
• Mohs microsurgery.
• A clinical trial of laser therapy.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage I penile cancer. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Treatment of stage II penile cancer may include the following:

• Surgery (partial or total penectomy, with or without removal of lymph nodes in the groin).
• External or internal radiation therapy followed by surgery.
• A clinical trial of sentinel lymph node biopsy followed by surgery.
• A clinical trial of laser surgery.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage II penile cancer. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Treatment of stage III penile cancer may include the following:

• Surgery (penectomy and removal of lymph nodes in the groin) with or without radiation therapy.
• Radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of sentinel lymph node biopsy followed by surgery.
• A clinical trial of radiosensitizers.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy before or after surgery.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage III penile cancer. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.

Treatment of stage IV penile cancer is usually palliative (to relieve symptoms and improve the quality of life). Treatment may include the following:

• Surgery (wide local excision and removal of lymph nodes in the groin).
• Radiation therapy.
• A clinical trial of chemotherapy before or after surgery.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with stage IV penile cancer. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site.