Management of primary carcinoma of the penis in 37 men by local excision or radiotherapy was associated with a high risk of recurrence. The authors in this review recommend partial penectomy as the minimum surgical procedure for the primary lesion. Clinical assessment of the inguinal lymph nodes was often inaccurate and the value of early sentinel node biopsy is discussed. All patients who underwent ilioinguinal node dissection had complications and only one of six men with histologic stage III disease was cured. The overall 2-year survival rate was 51%.