Penile Cancer Symptoms causes and Treatment

 What is penile cancer?

Penile cancer develops when malignant cells in your penis grow out of control. Your penis is a rod-shaped reproductive organ that allows you to pee and have sex. Its main parts include the rod-like part (shaft) that extends from your low belly to the tip of your penis, called the head, or glans. If you’re uncircumcised, a layer of skin called the foreskin covers the head. If you’re not circumcised, the head of your penis is exposed.

Cancer can form anywhere in your penis, but it most commonly starts on the head or foreskin (if you’re uncircumcised). The most common type of penile cancer appears in the squamous cells, which are flat skin cells. This type of cancer typically starts in the glands at the tip of the penis or on the foreskin of uncircumcised men.

Squamous cell carcinoma tends to spread slowly, and it is usually easy to treat when doctors catch it in the early stages.

Less common types of penile cancer include:

• Verrucous carcinoma: A growth that resembles a large genital wart.
• Carcinoma in situ (CIS): The earliest stage of squamous cell cancer that has not yet penetrated deeper into the penis.
• Melanoma: A type of skin cancer that can form on the penis.
• Basal cell carcinoma: Another type of skin cancer that can develop on the penis.
• Adenocarcinoma: A rare type of cancer that forms in the sweat glands of the penis.
• Sarcoma: A very rare form of penile cancer that affects the connective tissue, muscles, and blood vessels in the penis.

 

Symptoms of Penile Cancer.

Changes in penis skin are the most common symptom of penile cancer. They can show up on the foreskin of uncircumcised men, on the penis tip (the glans), or on the shaft.

Symptoms of penile cancer include:

• Changes in skin thickness or colour
• A rash or small crusty bumps on your penis; it can look like an unhealed scab.
• Growths that look bluish-brown
• A lump on your penis
• A bad-smelling discharge underneath your foreskin
• A sore on your penis, which may bleed
• Swelling at the end of your penis
• Lumps under the skin of your groin

These signs don’t always mean penile cancer. You might have an infection or an allergic reaction. But it’s important to tell your doctor about any unusual symptoms on or near your penis right away.

 

What are the risk factors for penile cancer?

The most significant risk factor for penile cancer is age.  Not being circumcised when you were an infant may also increase your risk. Circumcision removes the foreskin of your penis, exposing the head. Many risk factors related to penile cancer are likely related to having a foreskin.

Is penile cancer contagious?

Penile cancer isn’t contagious. However, HPV — one of the risk factors for penile cancer — is transmitted through skin-to-skin contact (most often) during unprotected sex. HPV spreads through vaginal sex, oral sex and anal sex.

Penile Cancer Treatment

The type of treatment will depend on the stage of cancer. When a doctor diagnoses penile cancer in the early stages, treatment may involve one or more of the following:

• Laser therapy to cut away the affected area
• Medicated creams
• Cryotherapy to freeze off affected areas
• Circumcision, in cases where the cancer is in the foreskin
• Mohs’s surgery, or the removal of the affected layers of skin

If the cancer has reached a more advanced stage, a doctor is likely to choose a different treatment method, such as:

• Removal of part or all of the lymph nodes
• Radiation
• Chemotherapy
• Penectomy, which is surgery to remove part or all of the penis

 

However, there is a lack of research on the survival rates for penile cancer because the disease is relatively rare. A doctor can help determine an individual’s likelihood of successful treatment and survival.

Early detection leads to the best outcome. The treatment options at the early stages are less invasive and allow for a faster recovery. Anyone who experiences any signs of penile cancer should speak to a doctor as soon as possible.

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Penile Cancer Treatment in Navi Mumbai

Penile Cancer Treatment in Mumbai