Penile cancer is rare in the US, about 2,000 new cases a year. Early cancers are often cured with surgery that preserves as much of the penis as possible. Once it spreads, options are limited, and the first trials of immunotherapy and new drugs are now reporting.
- 45studies open or running
- 4phase 3 trials
- 193papers published this year
- 13NIH-funded projects
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Now
Nov 2026
Immunotherapy plus chemotherapy shows promiseHappened 39.4% tumors shrank
In a Brazilian trial, pembrolizumab with chemotherapy shrank tumors in about 4 in 10 men with advanced cancer.
39.4%: had their tumors shrink.
HPV status predicts outlookHappened
Cancers linked to HPV, shown by a p16 test, behave less aggressively.
Less invasive groin surgeryHappened 2.96 fewer days in hospital
Keyhole or robotic lymph node surgery had fewer complications and shorter hospital stays with the same survival.
2.96: fewer days in hospital with keyhole surgery.
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6 months
by May 2027
Chemo-immunotherapy before surgeryPossible
A Dutch trial gives carboplatin, paclitaxel and pembrolizumab before surgery for locally advanced cancer. Due October 2026.
Immunotherapy with a PARP drugLong shot
Dostarlimab with niraparib in 25 men, due November 2026.
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12 months
by Nov 2027
InPACT, the largest penile cancer trial, reportsPossible
An international trial of 200 men compares surgery, chemotherapy and chemoradiation for cancer in the groin lymph nodes. Due May 2027.
Two-drug immunotherapy for rare urinary cancersPossible
Nivolumab with ipilimumab in a national rare-cancer trial that includes penile cancer, due February 2027.
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3 years
by late 2029
Antibody-drug conjugates testedLong shot
Enfortumab vedotin, alone or with avelumab, and sacituzumab tirumotecan are in small trials for advanced cancer.
Engineered T cells against HPVLong shot
T cells built to attack an HPV protein are being tested in HPV-linked cancers, including penile cancer.
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5 years
by late 2031
A randomized immunotherapy trialLong shot 60.7% vs 16.7% tumors shrank, with vs without chemo
Small single-arm results justify a randomized trial of chemotherapy with or without immunotherapy.
60.7% vs 16.7%: had tumors shrink, immunotherapy with vs without chemotherapy.
HPV vaccination lowers future casesLong shot
Large trials of 9-valent HPV vaccines include men; wider vaccination of boys could reduce HPV-linked penile cancer over decades.
The research paths
Immunotherapy
60.7% vs 16.7% tumors shrank, with vs without chemoDetails and 3 trialsHide
Immune checkpoint drugs work better combined with chemotherapy than alone. Trials now test them before surgery.
WatchThe first randomized result.
Best treatment for lymph node spread
Details and 1 trialsHide
InPACT is the first large randomized trial in this cancer and should settle how to treat groin node disease.
WatchInPACT results in 2027.
Drugs from other cancers
Details and 3 trialsHide
Antibody-drug conjugates and engineered T cells that work in bladder, breast or HPV-linked cancers are now being tried here.
WatchResponse rates in the enfortumab vedotin trials.
Borrowed from other cancers
From Head and neck and cervical cancer
Pembrolizumab
39.4% tumors shrank
Phase 2
An immunotherapy used with chemotherapy in other HPV-linked squamous cancers.
From Bladder cancer
Enfortumab vedotin
Phase 2
An antibody-drug conjugate aimed at nectin-4, which penile cancers often carry.
From Cervical cancer research
E7 TCR-T cells
Phase 2
Patients' T cells engineered to recognize an HPV protein.
Open to join now
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Rare urinary or genital cancers
Nivolumab and ipilimumab
Locations and eligibility → -
Advanced, first treatment, Germany
Enfortumab vedotin with avelumab
Locations and eligibility → -
Advanced, after treatment
Enfortumab vedotin
Locations and eligibility → -
Locally advanced, Netherlands
Chemo-immunotherapy before surgery
Locations and eligibility → -
HPV-linked cancers
Engineered T cells against HPV
Locations and eligibility →
See every recruiting penile cancer trial →
When the trials finish
Completion dates the trials registered. Results usually follow 3 to 12 months later.
- Heating up
- Maturing
- Early
- Cooling
- Fully enrolled, waiting on results
- Still enrolling
Knowledge on the way
Not treatments yet: detection, causes and how care is delivered. Mostly NIH-funded.
- AreaQuestionFunded throughNews likely
- Biology Engineered T cells against HPV-associated cancersRutgers · NIH Funded through Jul 2028 News likely 2027–2028
- Biology Drugs that stop HPV from copying itselfUT Southwestern · NIH Funded through Nov 2029 News likely 2028–2029
- Risk Microbes, HPV and outcomes in genital cancersMD Anderson · NIH Funded through Jul 2028 News likely 2027–2028
What just happened
Immunotherapy works better with chemotherapy
60.7% vs 16.7% tumor shrinkage across 488 men.
Pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy shrank 39% of tumors
HERCULES trial, Brazil.
Standard treatment today
- Early, on the surfaceCreams, laser or surgery that spares the penis.
- Invasive, not spreadSurgery to remove the tumor while keeping as much of the penis as possible; checks of the groin lymph nodes.
- Spread to groin nodesLymph node surgery, often with chemotherapy before or after; chemoradiation for some.
- Spread furtherPlatinum-based chemotherapy; immunotherapy in trials or off-label.
How to read this page, and sourcesHow to read this page, and sources
- Penile cancer is rare, so almost all evidence comes from small studies without comparison groups.
- The yearly case estimate is approximate.
- Completion dates are what each trial registered. Results usually follow 3 to 12 months later.
- Forecasts are editorial judgments by Find a Trial, not predictions from sponsors or regulators.
See penile cancer trials recruiting now →