Dr. Aditya Shah
Expert In Clinical Pharmacology And Drug SafetyView morePenile Cancer is very rare, but if it is the case in you, handle it quite seriously. If you can handle it at the primary stage, then you can find a remedy out of it. In case it reaches the second stage or even more, the condition can become even more critical.
However, when you talk about handling it, you need to identify the same primarily too. Hence, before going to the causes and risk factors, let us tell you the identifiable features, so that you can make sure that you are in the first stage of Penile Cancer.
Primary Note:
Conditions such as phimosis or infection should not be ignored, as timely treatment can help prevent complications, including penile cancer. Seek medical attention if you notice any unusual sores, lumps, or discharge.
Primary Stage Identifiable Features Of Penile Cancer:
Changes In The Skin:
Check the penile skin and keep a watch on its quality and the hue. If you see that the skin quality is suddenly becoming thicker and it is gradually increasing, it can be an alarm for you. If with time, you see some white patches, redness in the skin, or a blueish patch on the skin, like blood clotting on the skin, see a doctor without much delay.
Sores On Penis:
Sores on the penis are themselves an uncommon thing. You can get sores on the pelvic area, and even rarely on your prostate. But getting sores on the penis is itself a rare event. Whether that is a painless lump or it is growing like a wart or bleeding like an ulcer, contact a doctor soon. It can be a primary alert that it is moving towards a Penile Cancer.
Lumps In The Groin:
In case you see a lump or swollen lymph node near the tip of your penis, and you smell some foul fluid discharge at times, this again can be a primary indication of Cancer in your penis.
Causes And Risks Associated With Penile Cancer:
Cancer essentially means that the cell configuration in your particular body part is changing from the usual condition. At the initial stage, it will remain confined to some particular organ, but from the second stage onwards, it will start moving and spreading to other organs, trying to make the new cell configuration uniform throughout your body.
Keeping this in mind, check out the causes of a Penile Cancer:
➯ HPV:
This is one of the most common factors for any Penile Cancer. Around 40% of all penile cancer patients are victims of this. Papillomavirus can be of many strains, but most of the patients facing it showed the effect of strains 16 and 18. The major causes of forming such a virus are:
- Having sexual relations with multiple persons.
- Transmitted from another person for genital contact or non-genital contact.
- Can be transmitted to a newborn baby from his/her mother (identified lately).
- Weak immune function (HIV AIDS).
➯ Phimosis:
This is a condition where your penile skin thickens and remains unresponsive to anything from the outside. Usually, men find this when they do not maintain proper hygiene for their penis.
Many men practice taking a bath without directly washing off the penis. This also triggers Phimosis, which can eventually turn into Penile Cancer. What happens here is that your penile skin builds up dead skin and unused oils within it, usually called smegma.
➯ Carcinogen In The Bloodstream:
A carcinogen can be some organism or some physical element that can cause Cancer in any of your body organs. However, in most cases, it is seen in your bloodstream due to some chemical intrusion in your blood.
The same is seen more in the case of people working in mines, in the chemical factories, working with wall and garment paintings. However, the use of chemicals and fertilizers in agriculture has increased its presence more than in earlier times. Smoking can spread it more than usual among men.
What To Do In Case Of Primary Symptoms:
As you identify the primary symptoms, it is essential that you see a doctor. He will undergo a diagnostic analysis and then will decide the right treatment for you. In the meantime, stay hydrated and hygienic. Always practice safe sex and use protection for safety from Penile Cancer. Here are the diagnostic approaches and popular treatments for the conditions:
Diagnostic Processes:
Some popular diagnostic processes are:
- Biopsy: Testing the condition with small tissue samples.
- Imaging: MRI and CT.
- Staging: Usually done by a doctor when Cancer is confirmed. This includes Tumor, Node, Metastasis (TNM), which extends from stage 0 to stage IV.
Treatment Options:
The popular treatment options for Penile Cancer are:
- Initial therapy: Using laser or Mohs Therapy to remove the cancer-affected skin layers.
- Penectomy: Circumcision or excision of the penis, partially or removing the penis entirely, called penectomy.
- Chemotherapy: Used to destroy the cancer-affected cells and the future cancer-developing cells.
The Final Guide:
The best way to keep away from Penile Cancer is to stay hygienic and to practice safe sex with proper protection. Try to ensure them all the time. Avoid food substances and other things that are chemically enriched, if at all that is possible. Also, keep a watch over your penis health, so that cancer can be identified at the initial stage and treated then and there.
FAQs:
Q. At What Age Can I Develop Penile Cancer?
Unless it is not a result of any STI, it usually is visible in and around the age of 55+, according to the sample testing reports. However, keeping a watch over your penile health is always a good practice, as it helps treating the condition at the initial stage.
Q. Is Penile Cancer Treatable?
Yes, unless the same spreads to other organs, it can be treated easily. At the extreme stage, Mohs therapy, penectomy and Chemotherapy are also options for treatment.
Q. How Is Penile Cancer Diagnosed?
The popular processes for diagnosis are imaging with the aid of CT and MRI, biopsy and if the cancer is confirmed then through staging.
Q. How To Be Protected From Penile Cancer?
Maintain proper hygiene, eat a healthy diet free of chemicals and fertilizers, work in a proper environment free of chemicals and always practice safe sex (using condoms) to stay protected from Penile cancer.
