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Reconstructive Surgical Techniques in Penile Cancer

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Penile Cancer – A Practical Guide

Part of the book series: Management of Urology ((MU))

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Abstract

Surgery has always played a central role in the treatment of penile cancer. Historically, surgical excision of the primary tumour with a 2 cm margin was the gold standard. Although, reduction of penile length and loss of penile function cause significant reduction in the quality of life. The consequences of extensive surgery for penile cancer, including the inability to void standing and loss of sexual function, are debilitating. Consequently, the surgical treatment of penile cancer has shifted to less-invasive surgical strategies and organ-sparing surgery (OSS). Multiple studies have demonstrated that clear resection margins of less than 5 mm and even 1 mm are now deemed oncologically safe. Though, the use of OSS is associated with a higher risk of local recurrence. However, further research is needed to evaluate the role of local recurrence on overall survival and cancer specific survival, since studies report inconsistent results. Given that 80% of penile cancers develop on the prepuce and/or glans, many patients are eligible for OSS. However, a careful patient selection with respect to patient’s characteristics and tumour staging is crucial. This chapter aims to provide an overview of reconstructive surgical techniques, which can be used after surgical resection of primary tumours. Surgical techniques, grafts, common complications, functional and aesthetic outcomes are discussed.

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Correspondence to Maarten Albersen .

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Elst, L., Lee, W.G., Albersen, M. (2023). Reconstructive Surgical Techniques in Penile Cancer. In: Brunckhorst, O., Ahmed, K., Muneer, A., Alnajjar, H.M. (eds) Penile Cancer – A Practical Guide. Management of Urology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-32681-3_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-32681-3_10

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