[Metastatic carcinoma of the penis: clinical assessment, treatment, and review of the literature].

OBJECTIVE

To review the pathogenesis, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of metastatic carcinoma of the penis.

METHODS

We report four cases of metastatic carcinoma of the penis with special reference to the clinical features, diagnosis and treatment.

RESULTS

Two cases were due to prostatic cancer and the rest were secondary to bladder cancer and colorectal cancer. All patients received palliative treatment and survival has been poor.

CONCLUSIONS

Penile metastases are rare and are usually secondary to other genitourinary primaries, priapism is the most frequent symptom, although increased penile size, ulceration and nodes formation have also been described. Diagnosis must be established by biopsy of the lesion to rule out other benign disease. Treatment is generally palliative; the options of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are available. Hyperthermia in combination with radiation therapy has been shown to be an effective modality in the treatment of penile metastases. Prognosis, however, is very poor.