Penile Cancer

Treating penile cancer requires the kind of depth and breadth of experience that Winship offers in urology, radiation therapy, and medical oncology to provide the newest, most effective practices and treatments.

Our multidisciplinary care teams include urologic oncology surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, dermatologic surgeons, pathologists specializing in genitourinary disease, radiologists, and nuclear medicine specialists with expertise in penile cancer.

Winship is among the highest volume centers in the United States for treatment of this rare cancer. As specialists, our teams have developed groundbreaking minimally invasive surgeries and treatments that produce better outcomes. Surgeons from leading national and international cancer centers have come to Winship to learn these techniques.

The benefits of our multidisciplinary and highly experienced teams include:

• Access to doctors who rank among the top cancer experts in the world.
• Weekly review of individual patient cases by the full team of experts.
• Coordinated scheduling for appointments with various specialists.
• New treatment options through participation in the largest clinical trial for penile cancer in the U.S. as well as other trials focusing on immunotherapy.

Request an Appointment

If you have been diagnosed with penile cancer, we are ready to help you. Call us at 1 (888) 946-7447 or (404) 778-1900 to make an appointment. Winship experts are available to provide a second opinion.

We understand that this is a very stressful time. We welcome your questions and requests for help. Learn what to expect on your first visit.

Accurate and timely diagnosis is the first step in developing an individualized treatment plan for you. Winship physicians specializing in detecting and diagnosing penile cancer will start with a physical exam of the genital area and possibly the lymph nodes. After the physical exam, additional tests may be needed including a biopsy and imaging tests.

The most critical part of the diagnosis is determining whether the cancer has metastasized to local lymph nodes. Our radiology experts see a number of penile cancer cases every year and are attuned to even subtle signs of metastatic disease, and imaging is often part of the care plan.

Surgery: Robotic surgery options for penile cancer care are offered for appropriate patients. Sometimes more radical surgery is needed, such as a partial or total removal of the penis. Winship oncologists are trained in both cancer surgery and reconstructive urological surgery, and this dual training is the key to preservation of cosmetic and sexual function. Every patient is reviewed individually with a focus on penile preservation, even if radical treatments are recommended. 

Lymph node removal: This type of treatment involves removing local lymph nodes. Winship doctors have pioneered a minimally invasive lymph node removal/dissection technique that improves recovery and lowers the risk of infection, while maintaining excellent cancer outcomes.

Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy for penile cancer has undergone tremendous advances since 2010 and Winship medical oncologists are experienced at using the latest, most successful chemotherapy regimens. Additionally, several clinical trials of new drug combinations are offered to treat this disease.

Clinical Trials

In addition to standard therapy, participating in clinical trials may be an option in certain cases. Clinical trials provide patients access to new medications that are being developed to treat penile cancer. Consider talking with your doctor about participating in a clinical trial at Winship.

Supportive Oncology Care

In addition to delivering the highest quality medical care, we recognize the importance of the psychological and emotional aspects of living with a cancer diagnosis and of dealing with treatment. Our supportive oncology team addresses these issues in a timely manner with additional support from counselors, nurse navigators, dietitians and social service professionals.