The Evolving Landscape of Viral, Immune, and Molecular Biomarkers in Penile Cancer - Beyond the Abstract

Penile cancer is an aggressive disease, often detected in advanced stages, and few options exist once patients progress after cisplatin-based chemotherapy. In the era of personalized medicine, targeted therapies have the potential to improve outcomes in patients with metastatic or unresectable disease. This review summarizes the current understanding of the pathogenesis of advanced penile squamous cell carcinoma and explores novel biomarkers that can be used in the development of targeted therapy.

This review also highlights the challenges and limitations confronted by researchers in rare tumor types. Translational research is often limited by the scarcity of biobanks. Clinical studies often have limited sample sizes and trials can face poor accrual. It is becoming clear that only through multi-institutional and global partnerships can we produce high quality data to answer important clinical questions. One example of this type of international collaborative effort is the International Penile Advanced Cancer Trial (InPACT) which aims to determine prospectively the benefits and sequencing of surgery, chemotherapy, and chemoradiotherapy in the management of patients with penile cancer who present with palpable or radiologically evident inguinal lymph node metastases. It cannot be stressed enough the importance of referral of eligible patients to trial centers to ensure the successful completion of these types of studies.

Lastly, the Global Society of Rare Genitourinary Tumors is playing a pivotal role in the scientific advancement of rare genitourinary (GU) cancers by fostering research relationships and the sharing of scientific ideas and resources. Through meetings, conferences, and education programs, we hope to inspire future partnerships and research opportunities in rare GU malignancies.

1. H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Department of Genitourinary Oncology, Tampa, FL.
2. Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Department of Genitourinary Oncology, Milan, Italy.