Bruce H. Smith

Soft tissue tumors of the penis. A clinicopathologic study of 46 cases

Primary mesenchymal tumors of the penis are among the least common tumors of the male genitourinary tract. The clinical and pathologic features of 46 such neoplasms were reviewed and, when possible, classified histologically as to tumor types. Three tumors remained unclassified. There were 24 benign and 22 malignant types. Thirty‐five of 46 (76%) were of vascular, peripheral nerve, or smooth muscle origin. Patients ranged in age from newborn to the eighties at the time of diagnosis. Most benign tumors were located on the glans penis, whereas the penile shaft was the most common site for malignant types. During the period of clinical follow‐up, only one benign mesenchymal tumor recurred, in contrast to the recurrence of a total of 15 malignant mesenchymal tumors. Two patients in the latter group died with metastatic sarcoma. Based on this limited series, malignant mesenchymal tumors in all categories manifest more indolent behavior than similar tumors encountered elsewhere on the body.