Penile cancer
Overview
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.
Page last reviewed: 01/01/1970
Next review due: 01/01/1970