There can be a wide variety of diseases caused by the human papillomavirus. In addition, several types of this pathogen can cause the same pathology. The papillomavirus on the penis usually affects the mucous membranes and skin of the male body and localizes on the external genitals.
A papilloma is a benign neoplasm that is usually small and resembles a cauliflower. This oncological process develops from flat epithelial cells. The tumor rises above the skin and can be flesh-colored as well as some others (white, dark brown, etc. ). The causative agent of all variants of oncology is the human papillomavirus.
HPV is a virus that contains DNA and has a tropism for epithelial tissue, so it only affects the skin and mucous membranes of the human body. The pathogen has no shell, but is very resistant to environmental influences. HPV forms a huge group of viruses that can be divided into:
- Types with minimal risk of malignancy;
- Types with an average risk of malignancy (special conditions required);
- The type at high risk for malignant transformation.
Papillomas on the glans penis are considered to be precancerous, that is, they belong to the latter group of viruses. Therefore, at the first signs of pathology, you should consult a doctor and begin treatment. When the malignancy process has already started, therapy becomes very difficult.
Reasons for appearing
For the appearance of papilloma on the penis in men, direct contact with an infected person is necessary. Microscopic or obvious skin damage is a particularly important predisposing factor. The main way the disease is transmitted is sexually. In addition, not only people with papillomas with a clear clinical picture are infected, but also latent carriers of the virus. In traditional sex, the glans is affected, in oral-genital contacts - the mucous membrane of the mouth and throat, in anal - the anus and rectum.
If a man has HPV elsewhere, shaving and other injury-related manipulations can cause papillomas to appear on the skin of the penis. Infection at home is also possible, which is associated with the virus' high resistance to environmental influences. Baths and saunas are particularly dangerous.
Predisposing factors for the manifestation of the disease:
- Decrease in 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 significantly, since the clinical picture mainly depends on the degree of protection of the body.
Despite the fact that HPV most often causes harmless pathologies that do not cause discomfort to patients, the types of virus that cause the appearance of papillomas in the penile region are highly oncogenic. That is, the appearance of neoplasms can be considered the first stage of the cancer process.
Papillomas on the penis look like small flesh-colored neoplasms, single or multiple, with no subjective symptoms. Sometimes they can resemble cauliflower, sometimes they are a lump on the stem. In the absence of adequate treatment, the disease progresses and the following stages are distinguished:
- Phimosis (narrowing of the foreskin leaves making it impossible to remove the glans penis);
- The accumulation of smegma and, as a result, the development of the infectious process (due to the narrowing, it is difficult to clean the space between the head and the leaves of the foreskin);
- Inflammation of the head of the penis and both sheets of the foreskin (local signs are expressed in the form of edema, redness, purulent discharge);
- Erosive defects on the tip of the penis and foreskin (this condition is defined as the first stage of cancer).
Treatment of papillomas on the penis should be immediate and radical in order to avoid dangerous complications that can lead to significant disturbances in life and even death.
diagnosis
The removal of papillomas on the penis can only be planned after the final diagnosis has been made. The main diagnostic measures for this disease:
- Evaluation of complaints, anamnesis and clinical picture. The existence of unprotected sexual intercourse is clarified, the affected area is examined for flesh-colored, cauliflower-like growths. It is also possible to detect such formations on the mucous membranes of the mouth, around the anus and on other external genitalia with the exception of the penis.
- Polymerase chain reaction. This technique is difficult to implement, but it is over 95% effective, which is why it is considered the gold standard. With the help of PCR it is possible to detect the DNA of the virus in the human body and to precisely determine its type.
- Cytological studies. Various techniques are used to detect antibodies against HPV, which make it possible to assess the presence of an infection.
Treatment of papillomas of the penis is carried out immediately after the precise determination of the type of HPV and the stage of development of the disease.
How to get rid of papillomas on the penis
There is no effective conservative treatment for this infection. The only possible measure is the radical removal of papillomas on the penis. Various techniques are used for therapy:
- Laser removal;
- Cryosurgery;
- Radio wave method (the most optimal option, does not leave cosmetic defects, painless);
- Open surgery;
- Cautery (chemical agents are used).
Medicines can be used in addition to radical therapy. In principle, cytostatics are preferred. In addition, antiviral drugs are prescribed to reduce the risk of relapse.
Sexual intercourse should be avoided during treatment to prevent the infection from spreading. It is also recommended that all of the patient's sexual partners be tested for the presence of HPV.
prophylaxis
Preventive measures consist mainly in the introduction of a protected sex life with a reliable partner. You should be very careful when visiting public baths and saunas and avoid contact with any person's neoplasms, especially with microtraumas.
To prevent the development of complications, you need to consult a doctor in a timely manner and follow all his appointments and recommendations.
Unfortunately, the cure for the symptoms of the disease does not guarantee the patient's full recovery (that is, if the papilloma on the penis is removed, it still does not work to remove the virus from the body), so a man should be careful in monitoring his condition, make a note of itthe slightest change and contact a doctor. The HPV carrier must maintain a high level of immunity so that clinical manifestations (relapses) do not recur.