The cancer-related 5-year survival was 80% in 79 patients with penile cancer treated at the Norwegian Radium Hospital from 1974 to 1985 (N0 = 61, N1-2 = 12, N3 = 6). Sentinel node biopsy (SLN) of the inguinal lymph nodes medial to the saphenous vein helps to identify patients with early regional spread. The survival for these N+ patients is favourable if radical lymph node dissection is performed immediately. A tumour-negative SLN biopsy does, however, not exclude the subsequent development of inguinal lymph node metastases. These were found equally often during follow-up in patients with or without primary performance of SLN biopsy. Five of 6 patients, relapsing with groin metastases, were cured by secondary lymph node dissection. Most of the small primary tumours (T1/T2) can be treated radically by primary radiotherapy, but frequent follow-up is necessary to detect surgically curable penile recurrences (3 of 11 patients). Combination treatment of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery represents a good palliation treatment in advanced cases.