He penile cancer It is a great unknown among the male population. The incidence of this tumor is very low. Only one in 100,000 men per year in our country suffers from this type of cancer.
But with this tumor something very surprising happens: the figures double in Albacete. In this city, with just over 170,000 inhabitants, the figure rises to almost two men per 100,000 per year, according to the latest report from the World Health Organization.
Although it is rare, penile cancer has a good prognosis “if it is detected in the early stages”, as the doctor warns this portal Felix Guerrerohead of the Uro-Oncology Unit at ROC Clinic.
The main risk factor, says the specialist, is age.
However, it can appear in “patients with multiple sexual partners because they are the ones with the highest risk of becoming infected with the Human Papilloma Virus, which is a carcinogenic virus.”
And while it is not the deadliest cancer, the reluctance of many men to see a urologist can jeopardize the survival of these patients.
“The earlier it is detected, the better prognosis you have… and it can save your life.”
What are your symptoms?
Penile cancer manifests itself, very early, in the form of a lesion anywhere in the genital organ, both in the glans penis and in the prepuce.
“In general, any new-onset lesion must be reviewed by a specialist“emphasizes Dr. Guerrero.
In healthy patients it is also recommended to visit the urologist at least once a year.
The first symptoms can include everything from sores and inflammation at the base of the penis a discharge under the foreskin.
However, as the disease progresses it can cause pain and bleeding, lumps in the groin, as well as weight loss and difficulty urinating.
Penile cancer: how is its treatment?
“The main treatment for this type of tumor is surgery,” says the doctor.
When the cancer is very localized, treatment can be performed in the carcinoma, which is a premalignant lesion that will lead to the disease. Creams and lasers can also be included, “although in most cases a surgical intervention is performed.”
Surgery in which, as always, the principles of an oncological operation are followed, that is, to remove the entire tumor.
What happens is that in this case you have to do it in the most conservative way possible. Because, as the urologist emphasizes, “The aim is to keep the patient within a few functional, aesthetic and psychological standards“.
Penile cancer surgery can not only affect the sexual life of the patient, but also at a functional level, to urinate, and the psychological part.
“Yes, it is true that on some occasions we have to carry out a radical penectomy, which is the complete removal of the organ. These patients undergo a urethra, coupling the urethra to the perineum behind the testicles, to urinate sitting down, although preserving the function of the sphincter”.
What is the profile of patients with penile cancer?
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They are usually older than 50-60 years.
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A lesion appears on the penis, initially painless and asymptomatic.
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Also due to other symptoms such as pain in some parts of the body and unjustified weight loss.
Does poor hygiene play a role?
“Without a doubt,” clarifies the Dr. Felix Guerrero. “Bad hygiene habits in the penis lead to a chronic inflammatory situation, which can increase the risk of suffering a tumor in the area.”
It is also associated with phimosis. “It is not known, at the moment, if it is a risk factor or due to poor hygiene caused by the impossibility of retracting the foreskin and cleaning the glans.”