Phallic preserving surgery in patients with invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the penis

• Published in: The Journal of urology Vol. 174; no. 6; p. 2218
• Main Author: McDougal, W Scott
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.12.2005
• Subjects: Aged; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - surgery; Follow-Up Studies; Groin - pathology; Groin - surgery; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - etiology; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - pathology; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - surgery; Penile Neoplasms - pathology; Penile Neoplasms - surgery; Postoperative Complications - etiology; Postoperative Complications - surgery; Reoperation; Treatment Outcome; Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male - adverse effects; Urologic Surgical Procedures, Male - methods
• ISSN: 0022-5347
• DOI: 10.1097/01.ju.0000181225.31468.82

Standard surgical methods to eradicate invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the penis often result in significant deformities. Wide local excision with skin grafting in select cases results in the preservation of normal phallic appearance and function. Seven patients with invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the penis were treated with wide excision and resurfaced by 1 of 3 methods, namely 1) a split-thickness graft, 2) a full-thickness graft or 3) shaft skin advancement. At 1 to 5 years of followup there was 1 local recurrence proximal to the original resection site. Local excision of recurrence resulted in no evidence of disease at 2 years of followup following repeat excision. All other patients had no local recurrence. In select cases wide local excision with grafting or skin advancement results in a normal phallic appearance without jeopardizing cancer control.