According to data from the Ministry of Health and the Brazilian Society of Urology (SBU), in 2023 alone, 651 amputations (total and partial) of the penis were carried out due to cancer in the organ in Brazil. During the period, 454 deaths from the disease were recorded.
The high number is justified, in part, by shame: many men notice the symptoms, but hesitate to see a doctor and wait for improvement. When they arrive at the urologist, the condition is already advanced.
The main symptoms of penile cancer are spots, sores, roughness, tumors or ulcers on the glans, white discharge and an abnormal increase or change in skin color. The situation worsens over time, and is related to poor hygiene, HPV infection, smoking and phimosis.
According to urologists, to prevent cancer, the rule is clear: you must wash your penis daily with soap and water, in addition to cleaning the area after sexual intercourse or masturbation. In patients with phimosis, the operation is recommended to facilitate local hygiene.
Treatment depends on the situation of the injury, and the results are better the sooner the diagnosis is made. The patient usually undergoes radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and the tumor is removed in surgery.
Amputation and penile cancer
In more advanced cases, amputation of the entire organ may be necessary. In these cases, the urethra is repositioned so that the patient can urinate, but sexual intercourse is no longer possible.