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Penile cancer is classified as a rare neoplasm, yet in most cases it is diagnosed at a very advanced stage of development. The reason is the shame and fear of men about visiting a doctor. Penile cancer most often affects men between 45 and 60 years of age. Typically, a squamous cell type is recognized. According to medical statistics, one year elapses from the onset of the first symptoms of the disease to its diagnosis.
Penile cancer – causes
There are several theories about the causes of penile cancer. The most common thing is the carcinogenic effect of the mastic. The justification for such a cause is the fact that penile cancer is more common in men who neglect the hygiene of their intimate parts. Sweat, sebum and dirt are a good breeding ground for bacteria that produce substances that disrupt the delicate skin of the foreskin. Many doctors are inclined to the idea that penile cancer is a result of metastatic cancer cells that are located in other organs. These cells reach the penis with blood. Other causes include phimosis, which occurs in 40-70 percent. penile cancer. Early circumcision prevents neoplastic changes. If it is performed on a teenager or an adult male, it will no longer affect the risk of cancer. Smoking is also important for the development of the disease. Cancer is twice as common among smokers as it is among abstainers.
Factors that contribute to the development of the disease are also precancerous conditions, frequent inflammation of the glans and infections, especially infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV).
Penile Cancer Symptoms
A symptom of a developing cancer may also include pain when urinating, itching, or pain in the groin. However, you should know that such symptoms may also be a signal of other ailments, e.g. urinary tract infection, venereal disease, dermatological disease, and even some internal diseases. However, they should always persuade the man to see a doctor. Only a doctor, after examining the patient and performing tests, can assess what is the cause of the ailments.
The patient may develop painful reddening of the glans and coronary sulcus, thickening in the groin, deformation of the penis and an unnatural flow of urine. Another symptom is an unpleasant smell from the genitals. Red or gray-white spots or ulcerated and lumpy lesions may also appear on the penis.
As the disease progresses, the cancer will infiltrate (spread) Buck’s fascia and then into the corpus cavernosum as well. Over time, it metastasizes to the lymph nodes in the groin. Superficial nodes are attacked first, then deep nodes.
An experienced oncologist usually has no problems diagnosing the disease, but the diagnosis is made after carrying out histopathological examinations of a member of the material. If the doctor suspects that the lesions are benign, they will perform a biopsy to assess the nature of the lesions.
Penile Cancer – Treatment
It always depends on the advancement of the disease and the results of histopathological examinations. If the lesions are not disseminated, the tumor and lymph nodes in the groin are removed. If only the foreskin is affected by the cancer, treatment is circumcision. Radiotherapy is another effective treatment for penile cancer, but it is only used in the early and intermediate stages of the disease. In addition to irradiation, intra-tissue treatment is also used. In this cancer, it involves implanting a radioactive isotope of iridium.
The progress of the disease can be stopped with the use of chemotherapy and laser treatment. In the case of significant advancement of the tumor, surgical intervention is necessary. Its scope depends on the location and degree of development of the disease. When the lesions are located in the glans itself, the surgeon performs a glansectomy. It is a procedure involving the partial or complete removal of the glans and leaving the penis. Sometimes it is necessary to partially or completely amputate the penis and testicles. This procedure is technically known as a partial or total penectomy.
Penile cancer and amputation
Partial amputation of the penis is performed, regardless of medical reasons, so that the man can urinate normally and maintain at least some sexual function. Penile amputation is usually performed under local spinal anesthesia or under general anesthesia. The urine outflow is temporarily redirected between the scrotum and anus. A partial penectomy usually removes the glans and a few centimeters of healthy tissue to prevent the cancer from recurring. After partial penile amputation, it is possible to perform the procedure of reconstruction of the organ.
Radical penile amputation is the removal of the entire organ. It is necessary to create a path for physiological urination. If it was also necessary to remove the bladder as a result of penile cancer, the surgeon will need to create a stoma. During the operation, the ureters are arranged in such a way that the urine can collect in a special bag, which the patient attaches to the skin with special plasters and carries it under the clothes.
Penis reconstruction is rarely performed after complete penile amputation. But it is possible to take tissue from another part of the body and make it look like a penis. However, such a penis does not have any physiological functions, but it can be of great importance for a man’s psyche.
Also read: Controversy over penis transplantation