If you have a suspected penile cancer, we will arrange an appointment for you to see a specialist doctor at UCLH. During your appointment, the doctor will examine your penis and groin to check for any swellings. To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor will arrange to take a tissue sample (biopsy) from any abnormal area of your penis. We will schedule the biopsy for a separate appointment.
You will usually have the biopsy under local or general anaesthetic, so it should not be painful. The tissue samples are then examined under a microscope to confirm the diagnosis.
We may do other tests to check if the cancer has spread. The tests we do may include:
CT scan
A CT scan is a specialised type of X-ray that creates detailed images of the inside of the body. We may recommend you have a CT scan of your chest, abdomen and/or pelvis. This is to check if the cancer has spread to another part of your body. It is painless and takes 10 to 30 minutes.
MRI scan
An MRI uses detailed images to show the inside of the penis, which helps us to see how deep the cancer is. Sometimes we inject a drug called Caverject® into the penis to produce an erection. The scan can take up to 60 minutes. An MRI may not be suitable for people with claustrophobia or certain metal implants. Not everyone with penile cancer will an MRI scan – your clinical team will tell you if you need one.
Ultrasound
We may use an ultrasound to check the lymph nodes in your groin for signs of cancer. If any nodes are large, the radiologist will use a needle to take a sample of cells from them. This is to check if the swelling is caused by cancer or an infection.
To find out about the staging and grading of penile cancer, visit the Orchid website.
Penile cancer is very curable when treated early and the cancer has not spread. The cancer is still curable if it has spread to your groins, but you may need more treatment. If your cancer is very advanced, we may not be able to cure it. But we can still offer you treatments to help you manage the symptoms and prolong your life. Your prognosis will depend on how advanced the cancer is when you get your diagnosis.
