Treatment Options for Penile Cancer: Surgery, Chemotherapy or Radiation
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The testicles, seminal vesicles, prostate, and penis are the primary components of the male reproductive system. Penile cancer, a rare form of cancer, affects the skin cells of the penis. Since this is a rare condition, many people are unaware of penile cancer types, treatment, and diagnosis process. Keep reading to find out all the details you need to know about penile cancer!
What is Penile Cancer?
Penile cancer, a rare disease, affects the skin and tissues of the penis. It happens when the penis's typically healthy cells develop into cancerous cells and start to multiply out of control, creating a tumor. Although it can form anywhere in the penis, most often the head or foreskin is where the cancer first appears, and eventually, the cancer may spread to the lymph nodes, glands, and other organs in the body.
Types of Penile Cancer
Take a look at the various penile cancer types:
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC): SCC accounts for 95% of penile cancer cases, and this kind of cancer develops in the epithelium, the uppermost layer of your skin.
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC): Your epithelium's bottom layer is where the cancer starts, and usually, BCC is a kind of penile cancer that grows slowly.
Melanoma: Melanocytes, the cells that determine how light or dark your skin is, are the source of this cancer, and it is the most dangerous type of penile cancer.
Sarcoma: Cancerous growth happens in connective tissue or muscle, and this is the most uncommon type of penile cancer.
Penile Cancer Diagnosis
To diagnose penile cancer types, your healthcare professional would first perform a body checkup. During your examination, the doctor will look for any unexpected changes to your skin, such as a lump or discoloration on your penis. They'll also inquire about your prior medical history and symptoms so that they can use this information to assess the likelihood that the changes are the consequence of cancer and not the result of an infection or allergic response.
Biopsy: The only method available to confirm a cancer diagnosis is a biopsy. A doctor collects tissues or cells that appear abnormal during the process, and a pathologist examines the cells under a microscope to look for indications of malignancy.
Imaging: Imaging may be required to determine the extent of the cancer's spread, so your doctor may prescribe a CT scan, MRI, or ultrasound, depending on the type of cancer they suspect you have.
What are the Treatment Options for Penile Cancer?
Early detection can make penile cancer treatment more effective! Your age, general health, the kind and extent of your penile cancer, and its location if it has spread will all determine the course of therapy you need. Early cancer is typically treated with non-surgical methods, including laser therapy and chemotherapy, and treatment options for cancer that are discovered later on may include radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery.
1. Surgery
Surgery is used for late stage penile cancer treatment and is only provided if no other therapy is available. Surgery for penile cancer may involve removing the cancer and a small region surrounding it to lower the chance that it will return. Usually, the top layer of skin from the glans, the penis's head, and certain lymph nodes are removed during surgery, however, in rare cases, the entire penis may need to be removed.
When part of your penis is removed, it is called partial penectomy, and if the whole penis is removed, it is called a complete penectomy. In partial penectomy or complete penectomy cases, patients are often eligible for reconstructive surgery, which creates a functional penis by using skin and muscle from other regions of the body.
2. Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy kills cancer cells with medication! For penile cancer, you could get chemotherapy along with radiation (chemoradiotherapy) before surgery to help shrink the cancer and after surgery to eradicate any cancer cells that might remain if the disease had spread to other body areas.
3. Radiotherapy
High-energy radiation beams are used in radiotherapy to destroy cancer cells! For penile cancer, you might have radiotherapy after surgery if there's a high chance that the cancer will return, or to relieve your symptoms if it has spread to other parts of your body.
4. Creams
Medicated creams that you apply to your foreskin or penis can occasionally be used to treat penile cancer if it is discovered early. Fluorouracil (5FU), a chemotherapeutic cream that directly destroys cancer cells in the skin, may be used to treat you. Imiquimod, on the other hand, is an immunotherapy cream that boosts the immune system's capacity to eradicate cancer cells.
5. Laser therapy
A powerful light beam focused on the afflicted area is used in laser therapy to destroy cancer cells. If the disease is still in its early stages or the afflicted region is minimal, you might be able to receive laser therapy for penile cancer.
6. Cryotherapy
If your penile cancer is in a very early stage and it is not expected to have spread to other regions of your body, you may be a candidate for cryotherapy. Freezing is used in cryotherapy to destroy cancer cells, and to freeze the malignant cells, a tiny gadget is applied to the afflicted region.
The Risk Factors for Penile Cancer
Penile cancer is more common in those whose penises are not circumcised. This could be the case because individuals who have uncircumcised penises are susceptible to smegma and phimosis, two disorders that can harm the penis. The disorder known as phimosis causes the foreskin to tighten, and it becomes difficult to retract, and individuals who have phimosis are more likely to get smegma.
Smegma is a material that develops behind the foreskin when oil, moisture, and dead skin cells gather in the area. Inflammation from improper cleaning of the region behind the foreskin may also contribute to its development. In addition, those who are older than 60 years, people who smoke, HPV patients, or people suffering from STIs are also more susceptible to penile cancer.
Final Remarks
Penile cancer occurs when cancerous cells in your penis keep growing out of control. If you see any unusual development in your penis, it is best to get an appointment with a doctor as soon as possible because delays just give cancer more time to spread! The earlier the penile cancer is detected, the higher the likelihood that your doctor will be able to treat it without surgery.
Give Medanta a call to book an appointment with cancer specialists today!
