Penile cancer is a rare type of cancer that occurs on the skin of the penis or within the penis. It most commonly affects men over the age of 50.
The cause of penile cancer isn't known, but certain risk factors can increase your chances of getting it, including:
carrying the human papilloma virus (HPV) – there are more than 100 types of HPV; some types cause genital warts
age – the condition rarely affects men under the age of 40 and is most common in men aged over 50
smoking – chemicals found in cigarettes can damage cells in the penis, which increases your risk of getting penile cancer
having phimosis – when the foreskin is difficult to retract, the chances of developing infections like balanitis increase; repeated infections are linked to a higher risk of developing some types of penile cancer as they can weaken your immune system