In dealing with penile cancer ourselves in 2009/10
and finding very little on the internet at that time, we felt the need to add the info we had gathered and experienced on our journey; so to help others in their searching of such a rare n seldom discussed Cancer.
We hope that in some way it may help you…..
CANCER
Everyone is made up of cells. When mutations of those cells grow without control they become cancerous. Your cells can promote or inhibit cancer, but generally the mutations are eliminated by your immune system before reaching a cancerous status.
Penile Cancer
is a rare disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the penis.
The penis is a rod-shaped male reproductive organ that passes sperm and
urine from the body. It contains two types of erectile tissue (spongy tissue
with blood vessels that fill with blood to make an erection):
Corpora cavernosa: The two columns of erectile tissue that form most of the penis.
Corpus spongiosum: The single column of erectile tissue that forms a small
portion of the penis. The corpus spongiosum surrounds the
urethra (the tube through which urine and sperm pass from the body).
The erectile tissue is wrapped in connective tissue and covered with skin. The glans (head of the penis) is covered with loose skin called the foreskin
The penis contains several types of tissues and different types
of penile cancer may develop in these cells. Penile cancer starts on the glans (head), or tip, of the penis and spreads from there. Some men may have obvious symptoms in the early stages, while others may not have any symptoms until the disease has advanced. Although it may not mean cancer, any abnormalities should be reported to your doctor as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, many men are reluctant to discuss these issues with their physician, and may delay seeking treatment until the disease is advanced and harder to treat.
The following are common types of penile cancer:
Squamous cell carcinoma
Adenocarcinoma
Melanomas
Basal cell penile cancer
Sarcomas
Specific numbers for Penile Cancer are not reported separately, but are included in the general category, “other and unspecified genital organ cancer”. This broad category includes similar cancers that are grouped and reported together. The statistics listed do not necessarily reflect the actual incident for individual cancers within the group. In 2006 there were 176 new cases of other and unspecified genital organ cancer in men in Canada.
Cancer of the penis is an uncommon cancer in Western countries like Canada. The incident of penile cancer is considerably higher in some African, Asian and South American countries. In Canada there is less than 1 new case of penile cancer diagnosed for every 100,000 men each year.
