Everything men should know about penile cancer

It is likely few of us know of any man who has been diagnosed with penile cancer. Penile cancer is considered a rare cancer for men in the North America and Europe as less than 1 man in 100,000 each year is diagnosed accounting for less than 1% of cancers of men in the United States. For the year 2017, the American Cancer Society estimates 2,120 new cases of penile cancer will be diagnosed with about 360 deaths from it.  Early detection and understanding how to spot the symptoms of it is critical to overcoming this cancer.

The normal functioning of the penis

The role of the penis is to provide an avenue of releasing urine from a man’s body and sperm into the vagina of a woman.  Inside the penis are three tubes – one is the urethra and the other two tubes are called the corpora cavernosa. 

The urethra is a hollow tube that carries urine from the bladder through the penis and on out the body.  The corpora cavernosa are soft, spongy tubes that fill with blood making the penis stiff during an erection.  Together the three tubes are wrapped by a very tough fibrous sheath called the tunica albuginea. 

Causes of penile cancer

It is believed that body fluids that get trapped under the foreskin could be the cause of penile tumors.  When a man is not taking care to always do good genital hygiene, these body fluids most likely are not being washed away on a routine basis.  Other things that appear to increase penile cancer is advanced age of a man, men who smoke and men who have contracted AIDS.  

The human papilloma virus (HPV) is another possible cause of penile cancer.  This virus is passed through during sex and is also known to play a role in the development of cervical cancer in women.  Men who have had penile cancer have been found to have the antibodies to HPV-16 in their system. 

It is very important for all men to practice good genital hygiene to help lessen their chance of penile cancer. 

Another possible reason why some men may have an increased risk of penile cancer is men who are not circumcised.  Circumcision soon after a baby boy is born is the best protection from getting penile cancer later in life.  If circumcision is done at a later age, it does not have nearly the same protective effect.  Penile cancer in Jewish males is very rare as they regularly practice circumcision at birth.  Meanwhile, Muslim males have a higher risk of penile cancer since they wait to do circumcision at puberty.

Symptoms of penile cancer

Like all cancers, the earlier penile cancer is discovered the greater likelihood of a successful treatment and a cure.  If cancer of the penis is advanced at the time of diagnosis, the prognosis for the disease is not as good and the treatment may be less successful and more disfiguring.

That is why it is important to know what the symptoms of penile cancer are in order to catch it in the earliest stage possible. 

Men handle their penis every day when they urinate which is an easy and convenient method of noticing any changes in the penis that are not usual or normal.  If any of the following signs or symptoms are noticed on the foreskin, or the shaft or head of the penis, a man should contact his doctor right away to have it looked at and evaluated:

·      A thickening and /or change in color anywhere on the skin of the penis

·      A lump on the penis

·      An ulcer or sore that might bleed

·      A reddish, velvety rash

·      Small, crusty bumps

·      Flat, bluish-brown growths

·      Smelly discharge or fluid under the foreskin

·      Swelling

It is always possible that any of the above symptoms could be something else besides penile cancer such as a bacterial or fungal infection or even an allergic reaction.  But do not assume that is what it is as penile cancer if ignored, will advance to a more serious condition.  A man should not be embarrassed or reluctant to see his doctor about any changes he sees on his penis.  The sooner he can get it checked out, the quicker the diagnosis can be made and a treatment plan advised.

Diagnosing penile cancer

Penile cancer is diagnosed with a biopsy.  A small sample of tissue will be removed from the penis and looked at under a microscope.  If it is found to be cancerous, the cancer cells will be “staged” and “graded” by how abnormal the cells look.  If there is any concern that the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, other testing will be done. 

Treating penile cancer

Depending on the stage and grade of penile cancer will determine the treatment.  If it is caught early, it can be treated successful.  A tumor found on top of the skin may be treated with a skin cream that has few side effects.  External beam radiation is also a therapy for small lesions.

Larger legions the size of a pea may be removed by a small local excision or “Moh’s surgery.  The abnormal tissue is shaved off until normal tissue is reached. If the lesion is small, it is not likely the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. 

If a lesion is larger, more tissue will need to be removed and there may be the possibility of treating it with a mixture of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.  In more advanced cases, the entire penis may need to be removed. 

Many men will be apprehensive as to whether penile cancer will affect their ability to have sex.  If the cancer is caught early and with only minimal surgeries done, then it should not interfere with normal sex.  But if a man has to have more extensive procedure, then there is a greater chance that it could.