Penile Cancer Survivorship Follow-Up Questions

This page is for people who have finished treatment for penile cancer, and for their partners. It lists the questions worth asking about urination, sex, swelling, and follow-up checks.

Penile cancer is rare. The American Cancer Society's projection for 2026 is about 2,260 new cases and 450 deaths in the United States. Rare means fewer people around you have been through this, so the questions fall to you.

The operations NCI describes range widely. Wide local excision may be used for a cancer limited to the foreskin. For tumors involving the head of the penis, NCI's clinician summary lists amputation, radiation, and Mohs surgery as choices.

Ask which one you had. Ask what was left and what was taken.

This is a practical question that often goes unasked. How you urinate now may depend on the operation.

Ask what urinary changes to report and who to call about them, rather than waiting for the next scan.

For very early (stage 0) disease, NCI says laser therapy, Mohs surgery and cryosurgery preserve cosmetic and functional outcomes. Function matters in follow-up too.

Ask what to expect for erections, sensation and orgasm after the specific procedure you had. Ask whether reconstruction is something to raise later, and how long you would wait.

Ask whether counseling or a sex therapist is available. This is our suggestion, not an NCI statement.

Groin lymph node surgery has real costs, and NCI's clinician summary is direct about them. Its clinician summary lists infection, skin damage, chronic lymphedema, and a risk of death.

If your legs, scrotum or groin swell, say so early. Ask whether a lymphedema therapist can help rather than watching it. Lymphedema is long-term swelling caused when lymph fluid cannot drain well.

Ask what wound signs should bring you back right away.

NCI says HPV infection is associated with penile cancer, and that warty and basaloid subtypes show a stronger HPV link. Ask whether your tumor was HPV related.

Then ask: given that result, is anything else worth screening for, and how often?

• Exactly which operation did I have?
• How will my urinating change, and what problems should I report?
• What should I expect for erections and sensation?
• Is reconstruction worth discussing later?
• Was my groin operated on, and on which side?
• Is the swelling in my leg lymphedema, and who treats it?
• Was my cancer HPV related, and does that change my screening?

Cancer Staging and Biomarker Testing explain the terms that show up in penile cancer follow-up notes. Clinical Trial vs Standard Treatment, Palliative Care, and Questions to Ask Your Doctor cover what to raise at a penile cancer survivorship visit.

These questions were drawn from current patient guidance for penile cancer:

• NCI PDQ — Penile Cancer Treatment (Patient Version)
• NCI PDQ — Penile Cancer Treatment (Health Professional Version)
• American Cancer Society — Cancer Facts & Statistics