Penile Cancer
What are the symptoms?
People with penile cancer may experience a range of different symptoms. Having any of these symptoms does not mean a man has penile cancer but if you experience any of these symptoms you need to discuss them with your doctor.
Symptoms may include:
- a growth or sore on the head of the penis (the glans), the foreskin or on the shaft of the penis that doesn’t heal in a couple of weeks.
- bleeding from the penis or under the foreskin
- a smelly discharge under the foreskin
- a hard lump under the foreskin
- changes in the colour of the skin on the penis or foreskin
- thickening of the skin on the penis or foreskin that makes it difficult to pull back the foreskin
- pain in the shaft or tip of the penis
- swelling at the tip of the penis
- a rash on the penis or a persistent red patch of skin that does not go away
- lumps in the groin due to swollen lymph nodes.
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This information is reviewed by
This information was last reviewed February 2021 by the following expert content reviewers: Gregory Bock, Urology Cancer Nurse Coordinator, WA Cancer and Palliative Care Network, North Metropolitan Health Service, WA; Dr Mikhail Lozinskiy, Consultant Urologist, Royal Perth Hospital, WA; Caitriona Nienaber, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council WA; Prof Manish Patel, Urological cancer surgeon, University of Sydney, Westmead and Macquarie University Hospitals, Sydney, NSW; Walter Wood, Consumer; Dr Carlo Yuen, Urologist, St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, Conjoint Senior Lecturer UNSW.