Surgeons are calling for better education around penis cancer, as the disease is often mistaken by GPs and sexual-health nurses for a sexually transmitted infection (STI).
Penis cancer affects around 700 men every year, and can be cured if the disease is caught early, with little impact on sex life.
Shocking figures show that half of all cases are diagnosed too late, when it’s impossible to save the organ.
Meanwhile, a fifth of patients die from the disease.
It’s common for doctors to misdiagnose penile cancer, identifying the initial symptoms, including small lesions or red patches, as an STI.
Arie Parnham, consultant urological surgeon at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester, told the Daily Mail: “This is a relatively rare cancer, so most GPs will see it only two or three times in their career.
“What's more, there are loads of relatively harmless diseases that lead to red patches on the penis which aren't cancer, so doctors really have to know what to look for.”
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The surgeon, among many in his field, are calling for better education surrounding penile cancer.
Marc Lucky, consultant urologist and surgeon at Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool, added: “This disease is killing men every year, but we never talk about it.
“The NHS needs to do more to ensure these patients are diagnosed and treated early.”
What are the main causes of penis cancer?
Around half of all cases are linked to the human papilloma virus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection that can trigger a range of other cancers, including cervical cancer.
Around eight in 10 people will be infected by the virus at some point in their life.
HPV lives harmlessly in thin, flat cells called epithelial cells – these are found on the skin's surface and the body’s mucous membranes, including the mouth and genitals.
In most cases, the immune system clears out the virus, but occasionally it can trigger changes in the cells that become cancerous.
Meanwhile, damage to the skin is believed to account for the other half of cases.
Skin conditions, including lichen sclerosus and phimosis, can cause inflammation around the foreskin – leading to the formation of cancerous cells.
Therefore, circumcised men face a lower risk of developing penile cancer.
What are the signs of penis cancer?
Typically signs of the disease will first appear at the top of the penis, either as white raised spots or red patches.
At this stage, surgery can remove the cancerous tissue, leaving the organ mainly intact.
If caught at a later stage, more invasive procedures will be carried out.
One of the most common surgeries involves removing the head of the penis, and replacing it with a skin graft taken from the thigh.
Mr Parnham explained: “It sounds strange, but it has surprisingly good results. If you were in a public shower, I don't think anyone would notice any difference at a glance.”
This is also known as a ‘penis-preserving’ operation, meaning the organ is still functional.
However, most cases of the disease are picked up too late, with 47 percent of men diagnosed too late for the penis-preserving surgery, claims Mr Parnham.
In these cases, the cancer spread through the penis, meaning the entire organ had to be removed.
If the disease spreads into the groin, it could turn deadly, warned the surgeon.
He added: “The average survival rate when the cancer is in the penis is around 90 per cent, but if it reaches the pelvis [the bone structure around the groin that falls to less than 30 per cent.”
Many men often feel embarrassed to talk to a doctor about their genitals.
“If you had a dodgy mole on your shoulder, you'd ask your friends in the pub what they thought, but when it's your penis, you're more likely to keep it to yourself,' says Mr Lucky.
“You wouldn't believe the amount of men who come forward only after their wife tells them to.”
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