Penile cancer is a rare tumor that can arise in the organ or just the skin that covers it, causing changes in the color and texture of the skin, as well as the appearance of nodules or wounds that take a long time to disappear.
Thus, to identify this type of cancer it is very important to be aware of symptoms such as:
- Appearance of reddish wound that does not heal;
- Nodule in penis, glans or foreskin;
- Penis skin thicker or with changes in color;
- Malignant discharge from the urethra;
- Bleeding from the penis;
- Swelling of the tip of the penis;
- Pain and swelling in the groin.
However, some of these symptoms may also indicate other problems in the area such as herpes, syphilis or gonorrhea, and it is very important to see a urologist to make the necessary diagnostic tests, confirm the cause and start the appropriate treatment.
Penile cancer is more common in older people over 60 years of age, but it can also occur in young people, especially in men who smoke, who do poor hygiene in the intimate region or who have intimate contact without a condom, for example.
Penile cancer has a cure, however, surgery may be needed to remove the affected tissues, so the larger the tumor, the greater the chances of the patient being able to get erectile dysfunction. However, there are treatments, such as the penile prosthesis, that help the patient recover from erectile dysfunction.
How is the treatment done?
Treatment should be guided by an oncologist or a urologist and is usually initiated with surgery to remove the maximum amount of affected tissue and then supplemented with chemotherapy or radiation to eliminate the remaining tumor cells.
Depending on the size and degree of cancer development, the patient may have complications after surgery, such as erectile dysfunction, because the more tissue that needs to be removed, the greater the risk of affecting the muscles needed for penile erection. However, in these cases, the doctor may recommend the use of a penile prosthesis that allows the man to have and maintain an erection during intimate contact. Learn more about penile prosthesis and how it works.
In the more severe cases, when the tumor is at a very advanced stage, the doctor may recommend emasculation, which consists of the total withdrawal of the entire sexual organ and testicles. For these cases, a new technique for penile transplantation is being developed in order to return all sexual function to the patient.
How Penis Transplants Work
This type of treatment is being studied as a way to restore the urinary and sexual capacity of patients who needed to remove the entire penis during cancer treatment. This surgery is not yet available and during tests, which have already been done, it took about 15 hours to bind all blood vessels and nerves.
The transplanted organ should be from a donor with similar structural characteristics to decrease the risk of infections, bleeding and rejection. However, it is not yet possible to predict the success of transplantation in the treatment of erectile dysfunction, which may negatively affect the patient's psychological health.
How to prevent the onset of cancer
To avoid penile cancer it is important to have some care like:
- Do a daily hygiene of the penis, especially under the foreskin;
- Use a condom during intimate contact;
- Do not smoke.
Although there is no specific cause for the development of penile cancer, these care helps avoid certain risk factors such as poor hygiene or HPV infection, for example.
