NHS website

Penile cancer is a rare cancer that mostly affects the skin on the penis.

The main symptoms of penile cancer include changes to the skin of the penis, such as growths and bumps, changing skin colour or a rash.

Penile cancer can be caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a common virus you can get from sex or skin-to-skin contact of the genital area.

It’s not always possible to prevent penile cancer. Having the HPV vaccine, using a condom during sex and quitting smoking may help.

The main test to diagnose penile cancer is a biopsy, which means taking a small piece of tissue from the affected area to check for cancer.

Treatments for penile cancer may include creams, laser treatment, surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

If you have penile cancer, you can get support from your specialist team and charities like Orchid.