What Does the 5-Year Survival Rate for Penile Cancer Mean?
Survival rates show the percentage of men who live for a specific length of time after being told they have cancer. The rates are specific to men with a certain type and stage of cancer. Often, statistics refer to the 5-year survival rate. That’s the percentage of men who are living at least 5 years after diagnosis. The 5-year rate includes men who:
Because the statistics we have for 5-year rates are based on men diagnosed and initially treated more than 5 years ago, it’s possible that the outlook could be better today. Recently diagnosed men often have a better outlook because of improvements in treatment.
Survival rates are based on large groups of men. They cannot be used to predict what will happen to a particular man. No two men are exactly alike, and treatment and responses to treatment vary greatly.
What Is the 5-Year Survival Rate for Men with Penile Cancer?
Penile cancer is relatively rare, so accurate survival rates based on the stage of the cancer are difficult to determine. The overall 5-year survival rate for all stages of penile cancer is about 78 percent, but survival is better than this for stage I cancers. When penile cancer is detected early, its treatment is simple, less likely to result in significant side effects or complications, and most effective.