Introduction: Penile cancer is a rare tumor entity. Primary therapy consists of tumor excision (laser therapy, circumcision, partial or complete penectomy). Therapy of advanced or metastasized penile cancer is still challenging due to high morbidity with postoperative lymph edema, fistula, wound infection and resulting secondary wound healing.
Methods: In this series we retrospectively investigated clinical and diagnostic data from 28 patients (1995-2005) with penile cancer regarding their follow-up, especially in respect to morbidity after lymphadenectomy and the resulting therapy. We evaluated the efficacy of V.A.C. therapy as an alternative in this setting regarding costs and duration of hospital stay.
Results: 11/28 pats. underwent lymphadenectomy (LA) because of tumor stage or suspicious lymph node status. Eight of those pats. developed complications, as there were: lymph edema, and/or secondary wound healing with fistula. 4/8 pats. were treated with V.A.C. therapy. In this group a significant advantage regarding cost and time of hospitalization was observed.
Discussion: Despite higher primary introduction costs an early V.A.C. therapy in patients with secondary wound healing and lymph obstruction is advisable and resulted in a shortened hospitalization and reduced overall costs per patient.