Risk factors for penile cancer include:

• Having human papillomavirus (HPV) infection
• Having poor personal hygiene
• Having many sexual partners
• Using tobacco
• Age. Nearly two-thirds of cases are diagnosed in men over age 65.
• Psoriasis. Men with psoriasis who have been treated using a drug called psoralen and then exposed to ultraviolet light have a higher rate of penile cancer.

Some studies show that men who have been circumcised are at less risk for developing penile cancer, as this may help prevent some infections, including HPV.