Penile Mass: When Should Someone Worry and Seek Care?

OBJECTIVES

We present a summary of penile cancer, its epidemiology, risk factors, and possible clinical presentations. We discuss a range of penile lesions that indicate an underlying penile malignancy. We also consider some nonmalignant penile lesions that may be confused with penile cancer.

DATA SOURCES: Sources of information include original research articles, review journal articles, and textbooks, which have been referenced in the article.

CONCLUSION

Penile cancer is a rare disease, although geographical variations exist. Due to this rarity, many health care professionals may overlook a diagnosis of penile cancer. Malignant penile lesions may often be confused with benign lesions and vice versa. One needs to have a high index of suspicion to not overlook this important diagnosis.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Referral to specialists should be made if malignancy is suspected, if the diagnosis is uncertain, or if the lesion persists despite reasonable treatment with steroids and other creams.