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Radiation therapy for the management of penile cancer

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  • Published:
Journal of Radiation Oncology

Abstract

Objective

This article will focus on the use of radiation therapy in the treatment of penile cancer as an alternative to full or partial penectomy. The use of brachytherapy as well as external beam radiation therapy will be covered.

Methods

Pertinent literature concerning radiation therapy techniques in the treatment of penile cancer will be reviewed.

Results

Local control and organ preservation rates with interstitial brachytherapy for penile cancer are in the range of 70–100 and 55–100 %, respectively. The use of external beam radiation therapy produces local control rates in the range of 50–70 % with penile preservation in the range of 55–66 %. The cause-specific survival ranges from 66 to 99 %.

Conclusion

Penile cancer is an uncommon cancer that has historically been treated with penectomy. Although penectomy provides a high local control rate, it is associated with significant psychosocial side effects. Radiation therapy in the form of brachytherapy or external beam therapy offers an organ-preserving treatment option with high rates of local control and penile preservation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Stephenson Cancer Center, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 800 NE 10th Street, Oklahoma City, OK, 73104, USA

    M. Leann Smith & Ozer Algan

  2. BCCA Center for the Southern Interior, University of British Columbia, 399 Royal Avenue, Kelowna, BC, V1Y 5L3, Canada

    Juanita Crook

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  1. M. Leann Smith
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  2. Juanita Crook
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Correspondence to M. Leann Smith.

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M. Leann Smith, Juanita Crook, and Ozer Algan declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals, performed by any of the authors.

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Smith, M.L., Crook, J. & Algan, O. Radiation therapy for the management of penile cancer. J Radiat Oncol 5, 143–151 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13566-016-0247-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13566-016-0247-6

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