Penile and scrotal tumors revisited: Diagnostic and classification updates for pathologists

• Author Details:   
• Indranil Chakrabarti ^*
• Sujaya Mazumder1

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Penile and scrotal malignancies are uncommon tumors that demonstrate marked geographical variation in incidence. The 2022 fifth edition of the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of urinary and male genital tumors introduces substantial updates to the classification of penile neoplasms, building on the 2016 edition by emphasizing the etiological and histopathological distinctions between human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated and HPV-independent cancers. These updates provide clarity in both diagnosis and potential treatment pathways, especially for squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), which dominate malignancies in these regions. Notably, scrotal cancers are incorporated for the first time in this edition.
Based entirely on the WHO 2022 classification of urinary and male genital tumors and its associated reviews, this article provides a comprehensive overview of the major revisions, highlighting the histopathological refinements, characterization of precursor lesions, updated categories of invasive neoplasms, and their clinical significance in penile and scrotal malignancies.

Keywords: Penile cancers; Scrotal cancers; WHO 2022 classification of urinary and male genital tumors; TNM staging of penile cancers.