Penile Cancer: Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment
By Dr. Mayuri Pandey +2 more
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By Dr. Mayuri Pandey +2 more
Table of Contents
Cancer appears as a solid tumour (lump) that is malignant.1 Penile cancer is a cancer of the penis (the external part of the male urinary and reproductive system). The cells present in the tissues of the penis give rise to different types of penile cancer.
Depending upon the type of cell affected in the penis, the type of penile cancer is determined. Following are the type of penile cancers: Squamous cell cancer, Melanoma, Basal cell cancer, Adenocarcinoma (Paget’s disease of the penis), and Sarcoma.2 Penile cancers can start in any part of the penis.
Most commonly it has been found to begin on the head or foreskin of the penis. This cancer goes untreated in many individuals since it is associated with psychological distress. Males suffering from this type of cancer often delay seeking medical opinion because they fear and suffer embarrassment.4 Males who are over 55 years are most often detected with penile cancer. However, people who are under the age of 40 can also develop this type of cancer.3
Irrespective of the type of penile cancer, mostly the foreskin and the tip of the penis (glans) get affected. Therefore, penile cancer symptoms are first visible on this part of the penis.5
Signs of penile cancer are listed as under:
The following are the symptoms of penile cancer:
One should visit the doctor if the following conditions are observed. As a regular practice, one should look for the mentioned changes that occur in and around the penis:
Did you know squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) makes up 95% of penile cancer cases? This type of cancer develops in the epithelium that is the top layer of your skin. Different types of tissues may develop other forms of penile cancer: basal cell carcinoma (BCC), melanoma, and sarcoma. Out of these, the malignancy melanoma is more dangerous.
Dr. Siddharth Gupta, B.A.M.S, M.D (Ayu)
Penile cancer is a rare form of cancer that starts in the tissues of the penis. The exact cause of penile cancer is not clear, but several factors have been identified that may increase the risk of developing this type of cancer:
In my experience, a healthy skin cell may become a cancer cell when you have penile cancer. Uncontrolled cancer cell growth results in the formation of a tumour that pushes the healthy cells aside. As time passes, cancer cells have the potential to invade further organs and tissues in your body. I strongly recommend routine complete body checkups for those who have a family history of cancer.
Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS
Risk factors are not the factors causing penile cancer but these factors increase the chance of occurrence of developing penile cancer. Below are some of the risk factors:3
Upon visiting the doctor following diagnostic protocols are carried out to understand the developing penile cancer in an individual. The mean age of diagnosis of penile cancer is at the age of 60 years.4
Treatment strategy for penile cancer depends on the size of the tumour, cancer stage, spread of the cancer, and its likelihood of relapsing after the treatment.3 Often, treatment options are combined to have maximum therapeutic effect, following is a list of treatments that might be employed for treating penile cancer:
Treatment for mild form | Treatment for severe form |
Medicinal creams | Mohs surgery |
Removal of foreskin i.e., circumcision (restricted to certain religions) | Excision |
Laser treatment | Penectomy (some part of the penis is removed) |
Lymphadenectomy (groin area lymph nodes are removed) | |
Radiation therapy3 |
Following are the possible preventive measures: 7
Also Read: What is Blue Balls: A Medical Perspective on the Myth and Reality
Penile cancer complications are like any complication that arises due to surgical incidents such as:
As soon as your doctor confirms penile cancer, treatment strategies should be discussed with the doctor.
Most men can typically have an erection and continue their sexual life normally after the cancerous area has been removed (wide local excision).9
Penile tissue is kept alive during many cancer therapies. This means that your penis finally recovers to resemble its pre-treatment appearance almost exactly. You’re still able to urinate when standing.10
A surgical oncologist, a urologist who focuses on urinary tract issues, a medical oncologist, and a radiation oncologist are frequently on a penile cancer team.
This occurs often 7 to 14 days following your operation.11
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
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1. What is Cancer? | Cancer Basics | American Cancer Society [Internet]. Available from: https://www.cancer.org/treatment/understanding-your-diagnosis/what-is-cancer.html
2. What Is Penile Cancer? [Internet]. Available from: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/penile-cancer/about/what-is-penile-cancer.html
3. Symptoms and Causes Diagnosis and Tests Management and Treatment Prevention Outlook / Prognosis Living With Ad [Internet]. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/6181-penile-cancer
4. Engelsgjerd JS, Lagrange CA. Penile Cancer Continuing Education Activity [Internet]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499930/
5. Symptoms Penile cancer Main symptoms of penile cancer [Internet]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/penile-cancer/symptoms/
6. Causes of penile cancer – NHS [Internet]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/penile-cancer/causes/
7. Penile Cancer: Risk Factors and Prevention | Cancer.Net [Internet]. Available from: https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/penile-cancer/risk-factors-and-prevention
8. Can Penile Cancer Be Prevented? [Internet]. Available from: https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/penile-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/prevention.html
9. Sex and relationships | Penile cancer | Cancer Research UK [Internet]. Available from: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/penile-cancer/living-with/sex-relationships
10. Penile Cancer: Symptoms, Stages & Treatment [Internet]. Available from: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/6181-penile-cancer
11. After surgery | Penile cancer | Cancer Research UK [Internet]. Available from: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/penile-cancer/treatment/surgery/after-surgery
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