Living with penile cancer
It can take time to recover from the side effects of radiotherapy or chemotherapy before you feel ready to have sex.
Radiotherapy to your penis might temporarily affect your ability to have an erection. This is sometimes because of tiredness caused by the radiotherapy and worry about your diagnosis. Radiotherapy might also affect the nerves in and around the penis in the short term.
The tissue in the penis might become thickened from radiotherapy. This might make it more difficult and painful to have an erection. You may also have less sensation.
Most of these side effects improve once you have finished treatment. Many men are able to carry on their sex life as before.
Doctors will always try to give you the treatment that preserves as much of your penis as possible. This will allow you to use it as normally as possible.
Your sex life is unlikely to be affected. Some men worry about their sex lives after a circumcision. There is no proof that men are less sensitive or have more difficulty getting an erection after a circumcision.
Most men are usually able to have an erection and carry on with their sex life.
You are usually able to continue your sex life. You might have less sensation but it is likely you are able to have erections.
You are also usually able to have a fulfilling sex life. You might be able to have an erection and orgasm without the sensitive head of the penis. You can still penetrate your partner with the remaining shaft of the penis (glans). A study on men who had a partial penectomy found that over half of them could have an erection and intercourse.
After a penectomy you might need to adapt the way you express your sexuality. It is still possible to have a fulfilling sex life. Talk to your partner and share the ways you would like to be sexually satisfied. But it is still possible to find different ways of being sexual with your partner. This may help you to overcome the changes in your body.
You may have a penis reconstruction after your penile surgery if you had part, or all, of your penis removed. This is also called a phalloplasty. This will be another operation after a period of time and once there is no sign of penile cancer.
Specialist plastic surgeons and urologists use skin and muscle from other areas of the body to reconstruct a new penis. You might have some sensation if your surgeon is able to reconnect some of the nerves. You usually have a penile implant so that you can have an erection.
This is major surgery with a high risk of complications and is not suitable for everyone. Before you have the surgery, talk to your doctor about what you should expect afterwards.
All these changes to your sex life take time to adjust to. Working as a couple on the changes and sharing your feelings can make it easier.
Find out about problems after surgery for penile cancer
Your sex life is very personal. You may find it difficult to talk with a doctor or nurse about any sexual difficulties you have from treatment.
Doctors and nurses deal with these situations all the time. They are used to talking about them so try not to feel embarrassed.
You can ask them to refer you to a specialist counsellor or a sex therapist.
You may be uncomfortable discussing sexual difficulties with your partner. You might think they could reject you or be angry in some way.
Your partner is likely to be relieved that you want to talk things over.
They could have been trying to find the right time to raise the subject themselves. You may feel even closer after you have talked any difficulties through.
Last reviewed: 29 Feb 2024
Next review due: 28 Feb 2027
Coping with penile cancer can be difficult. There are things you can do, people who can help and ways to cope with your diagnosis.
Find out about survival for different stages of penile cancer.
Research trials aim to find out if new treatments are safe and better than those currently available for penile cancer.
Treatments for penile cancer include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The treatment you have depends on the stage and type of your penile cancer.
Penile cancer is cancer of the penis. It can develop anywhere on the penis but is most common under the foreskin in men who haven’t been circumcised or on the head of the penis (the glans).
Coping with penile cancer can be difficult. Help and support is available to help you cope with your diagnosis.
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