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Excision Tumor / Cyst
What is
Excision Tumor / Cyst?
The
excision of tumor/cyst involves the removal of a
possibly cancerous lesion in the penis.
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Effects
of Excision Tumor / Cyst
Excision of tumor/cyst may cure a patient of
penile cancer.
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Candidates for Excision Tumor / Cyst
Those
who have non-tender lesions that look like a
pimple or wart, a growth that is typically near
the end of the penis should consult a doctor.
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Your Consultation
After
performing a physical examination, it is usually
necessary to obtain a tissue sample, or biopsy,
of the cancerous cells for examination under the
microscope. Tissue is obtained by inserting a
needle into the area of abnormal skin or tissue
or by removing the entire tumor in a surgical
procedure called a wide local excision. Cancers
are described by the type of cells from which
they arise.
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The
Excision Tumor / Cyst Procedure
Surgery forms the foundation of treatment and
can involve excision of the primary tumor and
foreskin only, the entire penis, and/or the
lymph nodes in the groin and pelvis. Patients
with small Tis, Ta, or T1 tumors generally have
only the foreskin and primary tumor (tumor
involving the penis itself) resected. This is
called a wide local excision. Larger tumors
generally require removal of the entire penis.
For patients with T2 and higher tumors without
lymph nodes that can be felt on exam or seen on
imaging studies, surgical removal of the shallow
nodes on both sides of the groin is done in
addition to resection of the primary tumor. If
multiple groin lymph nodes are found to be
involved with cancer, or if a patient presents
with groin nodes that can be felt on exam or
seen on imaging studies, the surgeon may also
remove nodes from both the deep groin and pelvis
to assess for further spread of disease.
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Recovery
Patients who have undergone treatment for penile
cancer should be seen and carefully examined by
a physician every 2 to 4 months for the first
year. This is especially important for those
patients who have not undergone removal of lymph
nodes. The risk of developing spread to lymph
nodes in the groin is greatest in the first 6
months after treatment. The cornerstone of
follow-up care is physical examination, although
sometimes imaging studies such as ultrasound of
the groin may detect spread of cancer to lymph
nodes even before those nodes can be felt on
examination. CT scanning of the pelvis is also
helpful in detecting abnormal nodes which cannot
be detected on physical examination. If a
patient has undergone removal of the penis,
reconstruction of the penis by plastic surgery
may be considered once a patient has been in
remission for 2 years or more.
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Risks
Cancer
of the penis frequently spreads to other parts
of the body (metastasizes) early in the course
of the disease.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q:
What is penis cancer?
A:
Penis
cancer is an extremely rare tumor in North
America where it affects less than 1 in 100,000
men. It often affects older men between the ages
of 50 and 80 although a quarter of the cases
involve men under the age of 50. It is a cancer
that occurs on the shaft or tip of the penis and
can be very dangerous, but in most cases can be
treated very well.
Q:
What are the symptoms of penis cancer?
A:
Penis cancer usually begins as a small lump or
ulcer on the glands (head) but gradually
enlarges and spreads to the rest of the penis
shaft. It may develop into a fungating mass with
foul smelling discharge and bleeding in advanced
stages. Pain is not a common presenting
complaint. Some men are embarrassed by their
condition and are reluctant to seek medical help
until the disease is advanced and harder to
treat. The early signs of penis cancer include:
1) a wart like growth; 2) an open sore that
won't heal; 3) a reddish rash; 4) a persistent
foul smelling discharge under the foreskin.
Penis cancer first spreads to the lymph nodes in
the groin and therefore another symptom might be
swelling and/or pain in the groin. From there,
penis cancer spreads to other lymph nodes in the
body and to other organs.
Q: Are there any
self-care tips that I should be aware of?
A:
It is important that all men periodically
examine their penis for any lesions. In patients
who aren't circumcised, it is imperative that
they periodically retract the foreskin to see if
any lesions are present at the head of the
penis. If anything looks suspicious, they should
immediately contact their primary care physician
and if there is any uncertainty they should be
seen by a urologist. It is also imperative that
if penis cancer is found, that the patient seeks
out physicians at institutions that have
significant experience in this rare cancer.
Q:
How can I prevent penile cancer?
A:
Circumcision may decrease the risk. Men who are
not circumcised should be taught at an early age
the importance of cleaning beneath the foreskin
as part of their personal hygiene. Good personal
hygiene and safer sexual practices, such as
abstinence, limiting the number of sexual
partners, and use of condoms to prevent genital
herpes infection, may decrease the risk of
developing penile cancer.
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The following list of Urology procedures are
performed at Beverly Hills Medical Group -
please click the links to find out more:
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