Penile cancer: diagnosis, clinical features and management

Trajectories of squamous cell carcinoma antigen and outcomes of patients with advanced penile cancer after chemotherapy based on paclitaxel, ifosfamid, and cisplatin regimen

INTRODUCTION

Penile cancer (PC) is a lethal malignancy with no effective prognostic biomarker. We aim to investigate associations between trajectories of squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-A) and patient outcomes after chemotherapy based on paclitaxel, ifosfamid, and cisplatin (TIP) regimen.

METHODS

Consecutive AJCC staging III/IV PC patients who received TIP chemotherapy and repeated SCC-A measurements in 2014-2022 were analyzed. Latent class growth mixed (LCGM) models were employed to characterize patients' serum SCC-A trajectories. Patient survival, and clinical and pathological tumor responses were compared. Inverse probability treatment weighting was used to adjust confounding factors.

RESULTS

Eighty patients were included. LCGM models identified two distinct trajectories of SCC-A: low-stable (40%; n = 32) and high-decline (60%; n = 48). Overall survival (HR [95% CI]: 3.60 [1.23-10.53], p = 0.019), progression-free survival (HR [95% CI]: 11.33 [3.19-40.3], p < 0.001), objective response rate (37.5% vs. 62.5% p = 0.028), disease control rate (60.4% vs. 96.9% p < 0.00), and pathological complete response rate (21.2% vs. 51.9%, p = 0.014) were significantly worse in the high-decline arm.

CONCLUSION

PC patients' SCC-A change rate was associated with tumor response and patient survival after TIP chemotherapy. SCC-A might assist tumor monitoring after systemic therapies.

Global research trends in penile cancer: Bibliometric and visualized analysis

Background

Penile cancer is a malignant tumor of the genitourinary system that mostly occurs in middle-aged and elderly men aged 50-70 years, which can seriously affect physical, psychological, and sexual health. Hundreds of original articles and reviews on penile cancer are published each year. However, a bibliometric analysis of these publications has not been performed.

Objective

This study aimed to systematically analyze and visualize penile cancer-related publications through bibliometrics and reveal identified topics, hotspots, and knowledge gaps in related fields.

Methods

Based on the Web of Science core collection database, we first analyzed the quantity and quality of publications in the field of penile cancer. Second, we profiled the publishing groups in terms of country, institution, author's publication, and cooperation network. Then, we systematized and summarized the hot topics of research.

Results

This bibliometric analysis was conducted from 2001 to 2022. The analysis identified 1,687 articles and reviews, which were published in 432 journals. The number of publications and citations on penile cancer-related research has steadily increased over the last two decades. Furthermore, academic institutions in Europe and the United States play a leading role in penile cancer research. The country, institution, journal, and author with the most publications were the United States (507), H Lee Moffitt Cancer Research Center (96), Journal of Urology (83), and Spiess P (87), respectively. The most frequently used keywords were penile cancer (743), squamous-cell carcinoma (717), cancer (380), carcinoma (232), lymphadenectomy (229). 16 keyword clustering information was obtained, including #0 male circumcision, #1 lichen sclerosus, #2 chemotherapy, #3 penile neoplasms, #4 targeted therapy, #5 resection margin, #6 cervical cancer, #7 lymph node dissection, #8 prognostic factor, #9 prostate cancer, #10 inguinal lymph node dissection, #11 human papillomavirus DNA, #12 gene, #13 penile intraepithelial neoplasia, #14 male sexual function, and #15 penile cancer.

Conclusion

More and more scholars are devoted to the research on penile cancer. This bibliometric analysis revealed that the main research topics and hotspots in penile cancer included risk factors and surgical treatment plans.

An overview of the diagnoses and treatments for penile cancer

Penile cancer is a rare malignancy and, as a consequence, it is managed in just a few specialist centres across the UK. This article aims to provide health professionals with an introduction and update on the epidemiology and aetiology of penile cancer, as well as the techniques used to diagnose penile cancer and the current treatment options. The article highlgihts the importance of early diagnosis and the role that the clinical nurse specialist in plays supporting those diagnosed with the penile cancer and their families.