Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for penile cancer enabling organ preservation: A case of individualized management for bilateral lymph node metastasis and a bulky primary tumor

Penile cancer, most commonly squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), is rare in the United States and Europe but has an aggressive natural history. Due to disease rarity, randomized clinical trials demonstrating efficacious multimodal therapies for advanced disease are lacking. Multi-agent cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) utilizing the “TIP” regimen (paclitaxel, ifosfamide, and cisplatin) has demonstrated good clinical response rates in TxN2-3 disease.1 Clinical responders to NAC who undergo consolidative surgery show improved overall survival and time to progression. We present a case of invasive SCC of the penis with a bulky primary tumor and bilateral lymphadenopathy in a patient who refused initial penectomy. We discuss the role of NAC in this setting and our results employing multimodal therapy to facilitate a limited local excision.