UNRELIABILITY OF MODIFIED INGUINAL LYMPHADENECTOMY FOR CLINICAL STAGING OF PENILE CARCINOMA

BACKGROUND. In 1988, Catalona proposed a modified bilateral inguinal l ymphadenectomy for staging of lymph node metastasis from penile carcin oma. All three patients with penile carcinoma submitted to this proced ure and without histologically confirmed metastases were free of disea se within a mean follow-up time of 14.6 months. METHODS. In a prospect ive study, the authors evaluated thirteen patients staged by the TNM s ystem and submitted to modified bilateral inguinal lymphadenectomy. RE SULTS. None of the patients had histologic metastases in the medial qu adrant lymph nodes. Two of these patients developed regional lymph nod e metastases within 13.2 months (mean follow-up time). CONCLUSIONS. Ca talona's procedure was not reliable. We therefore recommend standard i nguinal lymphadenectomy as the minimal treatment for patients with inf iltrating carcinoma of the penis. (C) 1996 American Cancer Society.