Treatments for recurrent penile cancer
Recurrent penile cancer means that the cancer has come back after it has been treated. The following are treatment options for recurrent penile cancer. The treatment for recurrent cancer depends on where the cancer comes back and what treatments were used before. Your healthcare team will suggest treatments based on your needs and work with you to develop a treatment plan.
Surgery
You may be offered surgery for recurrent penile cancer. The types of surgery used are:
Partial or total penectomy is surgery that removes part or all of the penis.
Lymph node dissection may be used to remove lymph nodes that have cancer.
Radiation therapy
You may be offered external beam radiation therapy or brachytherapy for recurrent penile cancer. Radiation therapy may be given:
- instead of surgery
- before surgery (neoadjuvant radiation therapy)
- after surgery (
adjuvant radiation therapy)
Drug therapy
You may be offered chemotherapy for recurrent penile cancer. Chemotherapy may be given:
- before surgery
- after surgery
- along with radiation therapy (called chemoradiation)
Clinical trials
Some clinical trials in Canada are open to men with penile cancer. Clinical trials look at new ways to prevent, find and treat cancer. Find out more about clinical trials.