Cancer - penis

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Male reproductive anatomy

Male reproductive system

Cancer - penis

Definition:

A malignant (aggressively growing with a tendency to spread) cancer that affects the penis.

Alternative Names:

Penile cancer; Squamous cell cancer - penis

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

The exact cause of penile cancer is not known, but the presence of smegma (cheese-like, odorous secretions found under the foreskin of the penis) may increase the risk.

Uncircumcised men who do not keep the area under the foreskin clean, and men with a history of genital warts or human papillomavirus (HPV), are at higher risk for this rare disorder.

Review Date: 11/22/2004
Reviewed By: Marcia S. Brose, M.D., Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Hematology/Oncology, The University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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