Penile metastasis from other malignancies. A study of ten cases and review of the literature

Abstract

Primary penile carcinoma is one of the rarest male genital tract tumors. We rarely encounter this malignancy in Turkey because circumcision is routinely performed as a part of the Islamic tradition. Despite the medical paradox that the penis is rarely affected by metastases, approximately 300 cases have been reported in the literature. The primary lesion is almost 75% of pelvic origin; genitourinary or rectosigmoid primaries and penile metastasis from extrapelvic primaries constitute 25% of other primaries. Furthermore, isolated metastatic penile carcinomas are exceptionally rare. The rarity of the event prompted this study, which describes 10 cases of metastatic tumors of the penis including 7 cases with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, and in 1 case each of squamous cell carcinoma of the lung, adenocarcinoma of the prostate and leukemia. The main characteristics of the primary tumor are described, along with the diagnosis, treatment and the outcome of patients.