Therapeutic Approaches to Penile Cancer: Standards of Care and Recent Developments

Abstract

Joshua White,1 Ross Mason,2 Tarek Lawen,2 Jesse Spooner,2 Kauy VM Faria,3 Farah Rahman,1 Ranjith Ramasamy1 1Department of Urology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA; 2Department of Urology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada; 3Department of Urology, Institute of Cancer of São Paulo, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, Sao Paulo, BrazilCorrespondence: Ranjith Ramasamy, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, 1120 NW 14th Street, 15th Floor, Miami, FL, 33136, USA, Tel [phone], Email [email protected]: Penile cancer is a rare malignancy, most commonly diagnosed in older men, associated with poor outcomes, dramatic decline in quality of life and sexual function. Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common histopathology of penile cancer, accounting for 95% of all cases. Localized, early-stage penile cancer can be effectively managed through penile-sparing techniques in many cases, though advanced stages of penile cancer carry a poor prognosis. Current innovative treatments are exploring the role of targeted therapy, HPV-directed therapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive T-cell therapies in treatment and prevention of relapse of penile cancer. Clinical trials are investigating the potential of targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced penile cancer. This review examines the current management of penile cancer and highlights future directions in research and treatment.Keywords: penile cancer, inguinal lymph node dissection, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, HPV, adoptive T-cell therapy, sexual function

Keywords

• penile cancer
• inguinal lymph node dissection
• immunotherapy
• targeted therapy
• hpv
• adoptive t-cell therapy
• sexual function