Danish National Penile Cancer Database, DaPeCa-data: characteristics, management, and survival 2000–2025

To present the characteristics of Danish penile cancer patients, treatment strategies, and prognosis.

The Danish National Penile Cancer database currently contains information on 1,397 patients with penile cancer referred to a university center from 2000 to 2025. The database was established by retrospective medical chart review. The set of variables were defined by the Danish Multidisciplinary Cancer Group, DaPeCa.

Between 2000 and 2025, 1,397 patients with penile cancer were evaluated at a tertiary Danish center; 1,200 (86%) were treated with curative intent. Most patients presented with pT1-2 disease (79%), while 206 (15%) had pN3 disease and 47 (3.4%) had distant metastases at diagnosis. Surgical nodal staging was performed in 87% of patients. Organ-preserving treatment was used in 47% of curatively treated patients and in 75% of pT1 tumors. The overall 5-year cumulative incidence (CI) of penile cancer–specific death was 16% (95% CI 14–19), compared with 11% (95% CI 8.8–13) among curatively treated patients and 53% (95% CI 45–60) in non-curative cases. Mortality increased markedly with disease stage, reaching a CI of 58% in AJCC stage IV and 83% in patients with distant metastases. In multivariable analyses, higher T stage and nodal stage were the strongest predictors of disease-specific survival.

45% of patients were diagnosed with pT1 tumors, 27% presented with nodal metastases (pN +), and 3.4% had distant metastases at diagnosis. Overall 5-year cumulative incidence of penile cancer-specific death was 16% (14%, 19%). Most patients were treated with curative intent and achieved favorable survival outcomes. T stage and nodal stage were the strongest independent predictors of disease-specific survival.