Can be a huge disease caused by human papillomavirus. In addition, several species of this pathogen can cause the same pathology. Penile papilloma virus usually affects the mucous membranes and skin of the male body, localized to the external genitalia.
Papilloma is a benign neoplasm, usually small, resembling cauliflower. This oncological process develops from flat epithelial cells. The tumor grows above the skin and can have the color of flesh, as well as other (white, dark brown, etc. The causative agent of all variants of oncology is human papillomavirus.
HPV is a DNA-containing virus and has a tropism towards epithelial tissues, therefore it acts only on the skin and mucous membranes of the human body. The pathogen does not have a membrane, but it is very resistant to environmental conditions. HPV forms a huge group of viruses that are divided into:
- Types of minimal risk of malignancy;
- Moderate risk of malignant tumors (special conditions required);
- High risk type for malignant transformation.
Genius penile papillomas are considered a precancerous condition, ie they belong to the last group of viruses. Therefore, at the first signs of pathology you should consult a doctor and start treatment. If the malignancy process has already begun, then therapy is very difficult.
Reasons for appearance
The appearance of papilloma on the penis in men requires direct contact with an infected person. Microscopic or obvious damage to the skin is considered to be a particularly important predisposing factor. The main way of transmitting the disease is sexual. Moreover, not only people with papillomas who have a clear clinical picture will be infected, but also latent carriers of the virus. During traditional sex, the head of the penis is damaged, during oral-genital contacts - the mucous membrane of the mouth and pharynx, during anal - the anus and rectum.
If a person has HPV elsewhere, then during shaving and other manipulations related to the lesions, papillomas may appear on the skin of the penis. It is also possible for the household route of infection to be associated with high resistance to the virus in environmental conditions. Baths and saunas are especially dangerous.
Factors causing the manifestation of the disease:
- Weakening of the body's immune forces;
- Prolonged stress;
- The presence of chronic diseases;
- Excessive ultraviolet radiation;
- Taking certain medications.
Clinical picture
The incubation period for papilloma on the skin of the penis is about 8-12 weeks, but it can vary considerably, since the clinical picture mainly depends on the degree of protection of the body.
Although HPV most often causes harmless pathologies that do not cause discomfort to patients, the types of virus that cause papillomas to form in the penis region are highly oncogenic. That is, the appearance of neoplasms can be considered the first stage of the cancer process.
Penile papillomas look like small, flesh-colored neoplasms, single or multiple, with no subjective symptoms. Sometimes they may look like cauliflower, sometimes they are swollen on the stem. In the absence of adequate treatment, the disease progresses and the following stages are distinguished:
- Phimosis (narrowing of the anterior sheets, making it impossible to remove the gland of the penis);
- Accumulation of smegma and, as a result, the development of an infectious process (due to the narrowing, it is difficult to clear the space between the head and the petioles);
- Inflammation of both sheets of the head and forehead of the penis (local signs are expressed in the form of swelling, redness, purulent discharge);
- Erosive defects on the head and ear of the penis (this condition is defined as the first stage of cancer).
Treatment of penile papillomas should be immediate and radical to avoid dangerous complications that can lead to significant disruption of life and even death.
Diagnosis
Removal of papillomas from the penis can be planned only after the diagnosis is finally established. The main diagnostic measures of this disease:
- Evaluation of complaints, medical history and clinical picture. Existence of unprotected sex is revealed, the presence of flesh-like formations of cauliflower in the affected side is examined. It is also possible to detect such formations on the oral mucosa, around the anus and on other external genitalia besides the penis.
- ᲞPolymerization chain reaction. This technique is difficult to implement, but more than 95% effective, which is why it is considered the gold standard. PCR can detect the DNA of a virus in the human body, as well as accurately determine its type.
- Cytological studies. Antibodies to HPV have been detected using a variety of techniques, making it possible to detect the presence of infection.
Treatment of penile papillomas is carried out immediately after accurate determination of the type of HPV and the stage of development of the disease.
How to get rid of papillomas on the penis?
There are no effective types of conservative treatment for this infection. The only possible action is the radical removal of papillomas from the penis. Various techniques are used for therapy:
- Laser removal;
- Cryosurgery;
- Radio wave method (the most optimal option, leaves no cosmetic defects, is painless);
- Open operation;
- Cauterization (chemical agents used).
Medications can be used in addition to radical therapy. Basically, cytostatic drugs are preferred. In addition, antiviral medications are prescribed to reduce the risk of relapse.
Sexual intercourse should be avoided during treatment to prevent the spread of infection. It is also recommended that all patient sexual partners be tested for HPV.
Prevention
Preventive measures mainly include protected sex life with one proven partner. You should be very careful when visiting public baths and saunas, as well as avoid contact with any kind of neoplasm of the mouth, especially in the presence of microtraumas.
To prevent the development of complications, it is necessary to consult a doctor in a timely manner and follow all his prescriptions and recommendations.
Curing the symptoms of the disease, unfortunately, does not allow the patient to fully recover (i. e. , if the papilloma is removed from the penis, it still will not work to remove the virus from the body), so the man should carefully monitor his condition, note the slightest changes and consult a doctor. The HPV carrier must maintain a high level of immunity so that clinical manifestations (relapses) do not recur.