D. Theodorescu et al., OUTCOMES OF INITIAL SURVEILLANCE OF INVASIVE SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA OF THE PENIS AND NEGATIVE NODES, The Journal of urology, 155(5), 1996, pp. 1626-1631
Purpose: We determined factors predictive of inguinal nodal relapse in
patients with stages T1 to 3N0M0 squamous cell penile cancer treated
initially with surveillance of inguinal nodes. Materials and Methods:
Between 1980 and 1994, in 42 patients with stages T1 to 3N0M0 squamous
cell penile cancer of 60 with invasive disease seen at our center the
inguinal nodes were surveyed after definitive treatment of the primar
y tumor. Clinical inguinal nodal recurrences were treated with inguina
l lymphadenectomy. Results: A total of 26 patients (62%) had inguinal
nodal recurrences during followup, with 50% occurring within 1.4 years
and 75% within 2.8 years of resection of the primary tumor. The only
factor predicting nodal relapse was grade of the primary tumor at init
ial treatment. Patients with grade 1 tumors had a 45% long-term actuar
ial relapse-free survival rate. All other groups had a 100% actuarial
nodal relapse rate. Of the patients 10% had metastatic disease without
nodal recurrence. Conclusions: Invasive penile cancer may be associat
ed with inguinal lymph node and hematogenous metastasis. A strong case
for prophylactic bilateral inguinal lymphadenectomy can be made in pa
tients with primary tumors other than grade 1, since surveillance of t
hese patients will not-spare them eventual lymphadenectomy and may pot
entially compromise survival by delaying surgery. Patients with grade
1 tumors may be offered either careful surveillance or prophylactic bi
lateral inguinal lymphadenectomy depending on the clinical circumstanc
es and patient preference.