Rates of penile cancer are growing around the world, with 760 people now diagnosed with the illness every year in the UK. That number is up from 699 cases a year between 2016 and 2018, according to Cancer Research UK . Since the early 1990s, penile cancer incidence rates have increased by more than a quarter (28%) in males in the UK.
Rates are predicted to rise by another 9% by 2038 when more than 1,100 diagnoses will be made every year. Currently, 150, men died every year from penile cancer in the UK According to the BBC , symptoms of penile cancer often start with a sore on the penis and a strong-smelling discharge. Left untreated, partial or total amputation may be necessary.
Sufferer João told the BBC: "For my family, it was a very unpleasant surprise, even more so because I had to have part of the penis amputated. I feel like I was decapitated. It's a type of cancer that you can't talk about with people because it could turn into a joke.
" He added: "It's something you never imagine will happen to you, and when it does, you can't just go around telling people. I was terrified of surgery, but there was no other alternative. The feeling in the first weeks after the surgery was one of sadness, I can't deny it.
Not having part of your penis is horrible." Doctors recommend the HPV vaccine to prevent the spread of the disease. Smoking also increases the risk of developing penile cancer.
Failkure to clean properly is also a risk factor. Common symptoms of penile cancer include.
