Radiotherapy for penile cancers

Abstract

Penile cancers are uncommon and should be treated in expert center. Radiotherapy indications are mainly limited to exclusive brachytherapy for early stage penile glans cancer. Brachytherapy yields to excellent outcome for disease control and organ and function preservation. Only scarce data are available for external beam radiation therapy. It could be considered as palliative setting for irradiation of the primary tumor. For lymph node irradiation, external beam radiation therapy (with or without chemotherapy) could be discussed either as neoadjuvant approach prior to surgery for massive inguinal lymph node invasion or as adjuvant approach in case of high-risk of relapse. However, these cases should be discussed on an individual basis, as the level of evidence is poor. We present the recommendations of the French Society of Oncological Radiotherapy on the indications and techniques for external beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy for penile glans cancer.

Keywords: Brachytherapy; Cancer de verge; Cancer du pénis; Curiethérapie; French society for radiation oncology; Glans cancer; Guidelines; Penile cancer; Radiation oncology; Radiotherapy; Radiothérapie; Recommandations; Société française de radiothérapie oncologique.