Cancer of the penis, a little known cancer

Penis anotomy

That our doctor tells us that we suffer from cancer can be without a doubt one of the most terrible news that can happen to anyone today. If that cancer is also located in a man's penis, it can be even more tragic news for any man.

There are dozens of diseases or ailments that men can suffer in the penis, from phimosis, through paraphimosis and even reaching epididymitis, for example, but suffering cancer in the penis can be the most negative of all, not only for that the disease supposes, but by the area where it occurs.

What is penile cancer and what are its causes?

Penile cancer It is one more type of cancer than there are and that begins in the male reproductive organ with the formation of malignant cells.

Although it is not very common, there are several hundred cases each year around the world. Fortunately, the survival rate for this cancer is quite high and has been estimated at 65% from 5 years after the disease was diagnosed.

Today, and as it happens with many other cancers an exact cause for the onset of penile cancer is not known.

What is known is that smegma, that smelly substance, which sometimes appears under the foreskin of the penis, for different and varied reasons can increase the risk of developing this type of cancer.

These are the main symptoms

The symptoms of penile cancer are quite common, even when you do not have this disease, so before embarking on the adventure of making your own diagnosis, our recommendation is to consult a specialist.

Among the symptoms that can be caused by penile cancer we find a redness, irritation, or pain, sometimes severe, in the penis.

Also sometimes we can notice how a mass forms on our penis that is quickly detected by touch.

Penis

How is penile cancer diagnosed?

The diagnosis of penile cancer is rsole and exclusive responsibility of a specialized doctor, for which you can perform a physical examination of the area, also taking into account possible family history. In this physical examination, masses or any other element that may seem strange may be detected.

In case of suspicion that the patient may suffer from penile cancer, the specialist in most cases performs a biopsy, which consists of the extraction of cells so that they can be examined and it can be diagnosed if there are the presence of malignant cells, originating from cancer.

Transmission

As with any other cancer that is located in another area, the treatment to be followed by the patient will largely depend on the size and location of the tumor and also on whether it has spread or remains immobile in a specific area.

Treatment for any cancer will generally include;

  • Through various medications, most of them very aggressive, it tries to destroy cancer cells
  • By use of X-rays an attempt is made once again to destroy cancer cells
  • Surgery. In certain cases, a surgical intervention is necessary to cut and remove the cancer.

In the specific case of penile cancer, it will depend very much on the location of the tumor and especially its size. If this is at the tip of the male reproductive organ, in most cases the patient undergoes surgery to remove the cancerous part. Depending on the part in which this operation is located, it is called a glandectomy or partial penectomy.

If the turmor is in an advanced stage or is considered severe, a total removal of the penis, known as a total penectomy, is usually used.. This only happens in a small number of cases and supposes a huge impact for the person who suffers it, since we are not only facing the loss of the penis and therefore the disappearance of sexual life. It will also be necessary to make a new opening in the groin area so that urine can escape. This procedure is called a urethrostomy.

Survival expectations and possible complications

Despite being a cancer that we could consider as complicated in most cases, due to how reluctant all men are to go to our doctor to talk about our penis, it has a 65% survival rate at 5 years after suffering it.

In most cases, urinary and sexual functions are not lost, although this can be one of the most repeated and feared complications.

Unfortunately, another of the most repeated complications is that this type of cancer usually spreads to other parts of the body, that is, a metastasis usually occurs, which also occurs in the early stages of the disease, hence the importance of being diagnosed at time and start a treatment as soon as possible.

The prognosis can be good with prompt diagnosis and treatment. The 5-year survival rate for this type of cancer is 65%. Urinary and sexual functions can often be maintained, even after a large part of the penis has been removed.

Prevention may be the solution

As in most diseases that we can suffer in our penis prevention is key, and once again we can try to avoid penile cancer through circumcision, since although the reason why cancer appears in our sexual organ is not exactly known, it is believed that circumcised men take into account the need to maintain an extreme cleanliness of the area that is under the foreskin, which which can prevent the appearance of cancer and other diseases.

In addition, safe sexual practices can decrease the risk of developing penile cancer, although once again it is not scientifically proven to the extreme.


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  1.   Sergio Soto Chavarria said

    It turns out that about three years ago I had surgery for phimosis, the point is that I noticed that the external urethral orifice tends to close as with a kind of telite and I notice that the orifice is smaller every day. I have also noticed that, in the pure tip of the glans, it feels different from the rest of the glans, that is, it feels like an eggshell, like brittleness. I went to the doctor and I did not see anything strange in my glans but I noticed something strange, the other time I looked at my glans through a flashlight and observed a different color inside the tip than the rest of the foreskin. Thank you very much in advance for your help.