Study links Peyronie’s Disease to BPH and cancer risk

Men with Peyronie’s Disease (PD) appear to be at an increased risk for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), prostatitis, and at risk for certain malignancies including testis, prostate, and stomach cancer.  This news is from findings from two separate studies by the same research team out of Baylor College of Medicine and was reported at the American Urological Association 2018 annual meeting.

Findings from the studies

 One of the studies looked at three groups of men: 8,738 men with PD; 204,147 men with erectile dysfunction (ED); and 87,280 men who were the control group of which none of them had PD or ED and were matched by age and follow-up duration.  Findings showed that when compared with men who had ED or were in the control group, men with PD had a 21% increased risk of BPH, a 21% increased risk of prostatitis, and a 10% increased risk of lower urinary tract symptoms.  Men in the PD group also had an elevated risk of developing keloids.  The researchers concluded that the reason men with PD had these increased risks may be related to myofibroblast activity that may manifest at different points in a man’s life cycle.

The second study included 48,423 men with PD, 1,177,428 men with ED, and 484,230 men who were the control group who did not have either PD or ED.  The mean age of all 3 cohorts was 49 years and the mean follow-up time was 4.4 years.  When compared with the control group, men with PD had a significant 39% and 43% increased risk of testis and stomach cancer, respectively, and a 19% increased risk of melanoma.  The men with PD when compared with the men with ED, those with PD had a 38% increased risk of prostate cancer.

What is Peyronie’s Disease?

Peyronie’s disease is when scar tissue or plaque forms in the penis.  It can occur at any age but men over the age of 40 are who it affects the most.  A thick, elastic membrane called the tunica albuginea is where the plaque builds up inside the tissues of this membrane.  Either the top or bottom of the penis is the most common areas where plaque buildup occurs. 

The plaque that forms is not the same type of plaque that develops in a person’s arteries.  It not associated with heart disease, is noncancerous, noncontagious and is not caused by a sexually transmitted disease.

This condition is estimated to affect between 1 to 23 percent of men from ages 40 to 70.  It is rare in young men and is more likely to appear as a man ages.

Symptoms and causes of Peyronie’s Disease

The symptoms associated with Peyronie’s disease can range from mild to severe developing either slowly or suddenly.  Symptoms of this condition include:

·      A curve in the penis when it is erect – usually it curves upward

·      A thickened area or hard lump, which is the plaque, in the shaft of the penis

·      Painful erections and sexual intercourse

·      A misshapen look to the penis, like an hourglass

·      Loss of length or girth of the penis

·      Erectile dysfunction

It is not completely understood what causes Peyronie’s disease.  Some possible reasons could include the following:

·      An injury to the penis such as being bent during sex.  Vigorous sex can cause microscopic tears to the penis

·      A chronic or repeated injury to the penis

·      Autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks certain areas of the body’s cells and organs

·      Aging

·      A family history of the disease

Diagnosing and treating Peyronie’s disease

 Any man who has Peyronie’s disease needs to discuss the problem with his doctor.  The longer he waits the greater chance for serious complications.  The complications can lead to not being able to have sexual intercourse, erectile dysfunction, anxiety and stress, and difficulty in fathering a child.

It is best if a man sees a urologist which will diagnosis Peyronie’s disease based on a man’s medical and family history, a thorough physical exam feeling the hardened tissue caused by the disease along with imaging tests. 

Treatment for Peyronie’s disease depends on how severe the condition is.  Some men don’t require any treatment if there is no pain and it is not affecting their sex life.  Non-surgical treatment options include medications and injections of steroids into the area affected. 

In more severe cases, it can be treated with surgery.  Generally a doctor will recommend waiting at least 12 months as the condition can improve on its own without surgery.  Surgery may involve removing or cutting away the plaque or implanting a device to straighten the penis.