Penile cancer risk factors: who is more likely to get it

What penile cancer is

Penile cancer is a type of cancer that forms in the tissues of the penis (NCI). The penis contains spongy erectile tissue wrapped in connective tissue and covered with skin, and the head of the penis (the glans) is covered with loose skin called the foreskin (NCI).

It is rare. NCI's health professional summary says the rate in the United States is less than 1 case per 100,000 men per year. It estimates 2,190 new cases and 510 deaths in 2025 from penile and other male genital cancers combined (NCI PDQ).

Who is more likely to get penile cancer

NCI explains that many risk factors do not cause cancer directly. Instead, they raise the chance of DNA damage in cells that may lead to penile cancer (NCI). NCI lists these risk factors (NCI):

• Not being circumcised. Men who were not circumcised at birth may have a higher risk. Circumcision may help prevent infection with human papillomavirus (HPV).
• Being 60 or older.
• Having phimosis, a condition in which the foreskin cannot be pulled back over the head of the penis.
• Poor personal hygiene.
• Having many sexual partners.
• Using tobacco products.

NCI also says HPV infection may increase the risk of penile cancer (NCI). Some risk factors, such as tobacco use, can be changed; others, such as getting older and your health history, cannot (NCI).

Having one or more of these risk factors does not mean you will get penile cancer. Many people with risk factors never get it, while others with no known risk factors do. NCI says to talk with your doctor if you think you may be at risk (NCI).

HPV and penile cancer

HPV is a common virus spread by sexual contact. NCI estimates that HPV causes about 63% of penile cancers (NCI). See HPV risk factors for who gets HPV, what makes a high-risk infection last, and HPV vaccines.

NCI's health professional summary notes that observational studies found HPV on the penis less often in circumcised men. Some, but not all, studies also link newborn circumcision with a lower risk of penile cancer. It adds that if this link is causal, about 909 circumcisions would be needed to prevent one case of invasive penile cancer (NCI PDQ).

Signs to know

NCI names sores, discharge and bleeding as signs of penile cancer. Redness, irritation, a sore or a lump on the penis are reasons to check with your doctor, because penile cancer or another condition can cause them (NCI).

There is no standard screening test for penile cancer (NCI), so following up on changes like these with a health care provider matters.

How it is diagnosed

Along with your health history and a physical exam, a doctor checks the penis for lumps or anything else unusual. A biopsy, removing part or all of a lump or abnormal area to look at under a microscope, is used to check for cancer (NCI). The outlook and treatment options depend on the stage of the cancer, the location and size of the tumor, and whether it is newly diagnosed or has come back (NCI).

Treatment in brief

Surgery is the most common treatment for all stages of penile cancer. Options range from removing thin layers of skin (Mohs surgery), laser surgery, freezing (cryosurgery), circumcision and wide local excision to removing part or all of the penis. Radiation therapy, chemotherapy and immunotherapy are also used, and creams such as fluorouracil or imiquimod may be used on the skin for some early cancers (NCI). Your care team decides the plan with you based on the stage, your overall health and your preferences (NCI).

Common questions

Does HPV mean I will get penile cancer?

No. Most HPV infections clear on their own within a year or two; cancer can follow only when a high-risk infection lasts for many years (NCI). NCI says HPV infection may increase the risk of penile cancer, but it is one of several risk factors (NCI).

Is penile cancer common?

No. In the United States it occurs in less than 1 per 100,000 men per year (NCI PDQ).

Which risk factors can I change?

NCI gives tobacco use as an example of a risk factor that can be changed, while age and health history cannot (NCI). Free help to quit is available at 1-800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669) (NCI).

Also see testicular cancer risk factors, prostate cancer risk factors, anal cancer risk factors and which cancer check fits you.