| Cancer of the penis is quite rare. Cancer is | | | | Diagnosis |
| a big worry for many people though. It is | | | | |
| estimated now that at least 300,000 people a | | | | If you go to your doctor with any suspicious |
| year are now diagnosed with every year in the | | | | symptoms your doctor will examine you then if |
| UK. The most common forms of cancer are | | | | feel it is prudent will refer you to a |
| breast, lung, colon and prostate cancer. | | | | hospital specialist for advice and treatment. |
| Cancer of the penis is much rarer. | | | | |
| | | | The specialist will examine the whole of the |
| In Britain around 400 men a year are | | | | penis and the lymph nodes in your groin. If |
| diagnosed with cancer of the penis and it | | | | the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes they |
| mostly affects men who are 60 of age or | | | | may be enlarged. To make a firm diagnosis, |
| older. It is more common in South East Asia | | | | the doctor will take a sample of tissue (a |
| and Africa. | | | | biopsy) from any sore or abnormal areas on |
| | | | the penis. This will usually be done under a |
| Causes | | | | local anaesthetic so that the area is numb. |
| | | | The biopsies will be examined under a |
| The research into penis cancer is not very | | | | microscope. |
| advanced and not much is known about it. | | | | |
| Cancer of the penis is believed to be related | | | | If the biopsy comes back positive for cancer |
| to general hygiene and is found to be less | | | | then to assess the seriousness most doctors |
| common in men who have been circumcised. The | | | | will do more test to make sure the cancer |
| reason being that men who haven't had their | | | | hasn't spread into the body. |
| foreskin removed will find it much harder to | | | | |
| pull back their foreskin to clean thoroughly | | | | Cancer is spread through either the blood of |
| underneath. The human papilloma virus human | | | | through the lymphatic system. The lymphatic |
| (HPV) that causes penile warts also increases | | | | system is part of he body's defence against |
| the risk of cancer of the penis. | | | | infection and disease. It works as a network |
| | | | of lymph glands linked by fine ducts |
| Cancer of the penis is not hereditary and so | | | | containing lymph fluid. Tests are done to |
| other members of the family are not likely to | | | | see how best to treat a patient. |
| develop it. Cancer of the penis is not | | | | |
| contagious either. | | | | Other tests include:- |
| | | | |
| It is vital to keep a check on penis health | | | | Chest x-ray |
| because some skin conditions can develop into | | | | |
| cancer if left unchecked and untreated. | | | | A chest x-ray is usually done to check |
| Please check for white patches, red scaly | | | | whether or not the cancer has spread to the |
| patches and red moist patches of skin on your | | | | lungs. |
| penis. | | | | |
| | | | CT (computerized tomography) Scan |
| Signs and symptoms | | | | |
| | | | A CT scan is a specialized type of x-ray. A |
| The first signs penile cancer is most likely | | | | series of pictures is taken and fed into a |
| to be changes in the color and thickness of | | | | computer to build up a detailed picture of |
| the skin of the penis. This may then lead to | | | | the inside of the body. The scan can show |
| symptoms including growth or sores on the | | | | whether or not the cancer has spread to other |
| penis which will be most likely around the | | | | parts of the body. It is painless and takes |
| head the penis or on the shaft. This may lead | | | | 10 to 30 minutes. |
| to discharge or bleeding. Most penile cancers | | | | |
| are painless. | | | | Lymph node biopsy |
| | | | |
| It is vital as with most cancers to have an | | | | If you have any enlarged lymph nodes in the |
| early diagnosis and therefore gain treatment | | | | groin, your doctor may put a needle into the |
| quickly to bring about a positive outcome. | | | | node to get a sample of cells. This is to see |
| Cancers can sometimes appear as flat growths | | | | whether or not the enlargement is due to |
| that are blue-brownish in colour, or as a red | | | | cancer. Enlarged lymph nodes are often due to |
| rash, or small crusty bumps. It is vital to | | | | infection and not cancer, so your doctor may |
| pull back the foreskin regularly to check | | | | also give you a course of antibiotics to see |
| because often it is the only time these | | | | whether or not the swollen nodes shrink. |
| symptoms are visible. | | | | |
| | | | Once you have been diagnosed then doctors can |
| At this point that we must say that other | | | | go about treating the problem. The earlier |
| illnesses than cancer can bring about these | | | | the prognosis the more chance of survival if |
| conditions however if you have any of these | | | | you feel you may have penile cancer then |
| symptoms please visit you doctor or health | | | | please visit you doctor. You are not being |
| specialist straight away. | | | | silly. |
| | | | |