Combined Laser Treatment for Penile Carcinoma: Results After Long-Term Followup

Abstract

PURPOSE: We evaluated local disease control, side effects and cause specific survival of penile carcinoma treated with laser therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a prospective study from 1986 to 2002 we included 67 men with a mean age of 60 years with newly diagnosed penile carcinoma. No patient was lost to followup. RESULTS: At a median followup of 42 months (range 12 to 186) 59 patients were alive and 8 had died of penile carcinoma (2) and concurrent disease (6). Of the 13 patients (19%) with local recurrence during the study period 10 underwent repeat laser treatment successfully. Side effects were few but 5 patients (7%) had postoperative bleeding. Overall cosmetic and functional results were highly satisfactory. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study show that treating penile carcinoma with the combination of carbon dioxide and neodymium:YAG lasers can safely be done with highly satisfactory cosmetic results as well as good local tumor control.