There can be a large number of diseases caused by human papillomavirus. In addition, several species of this pathogen can cause the same pathology. The papilloma virus in the penis usually affects the mucosa and skin in the male body, being localized to the external genitalia.
Papilloma is a benign neoplasm, usually small in size, that resembles a cauliflower. This oncological process develops from flat epithelial cells. The tumor grows on the skin and may have a flesh color and some others (white, dark brown, and so on). The causative agent of all variants of oncology is human papillomavirus.
HPV is a virus that contains DNA and has a tropism for epithelial tissues, therefore it only affects the skin and mucosa of the human body. The pathogen does not have a shell, but is very resistant to environmental conditions. HPV is a large group of viruses, which are divided into:
- Types with minimal risk of malice;
- Species with a moderate risk of malice (special conditions required);
- Type with a high risk of malignant transformation.
Papillomas on the glans penis are considered a precancerous condition, meaning that they belong to the latter group of viruses. Therefore, at the first signs of pathology, you should consult a doctor and start treatment. If the process of malice has already begun, then the therapy becomes very difficult.
Reasons for submission
For papilloma to appear on the penis in men, direct contact with an infected person is required. Microscopic or visible skin damage is considered to be a particularly important predisposing factor. The main route of transmission of the disease is sexual. Moreover, not only people with papillomas with a clear clinical picture are infected, but also hidden carriers of the virus. During traditional sex, the head of the penis is affected, during oral-genital contacts - the mucosa of the mouth and pharynx, during the anus - anus and rectum.
If a man has HPV elsewhere, then during shaving and other damage-related manipulations, papillomas may appear on the skin of the penis. The domestic route of infection is also possible, which is associated with high resistance of the virus to environmental conditions. Baths and saunas are especially dangerous.
Predisposing factors for the onset of the disease:
- Reduction of the body's immune forces;
- Prolonged stress;
- Presence of chronic diseases;
- Excessive ultraviolet radiation;
- Taking certain medications.
Clinical photography
The incubation period for papillomas on the skin of the penis is approximately 8-12 weeks, but can vary significantly, as the clinical picture largely depends on the degree of protection of the body.
Despite the fact that HPV most often causes harmless pathologies that do not cause concern to patients, the types of viruses that cause papillomas to appear in the penis region are highly oncogenic. That is, the appearance of neoplasms can be considered the first stage of the cancer process.
Papillomas on the penis appear as small flesh-colored neoplasms, single or multiple, unaccompanied by subjective symptoms. Sometimes they may resemble cauliflower, sometimes they are a swelling on the stalk. In the absence of adequate treatment, the disease progresses, and the following stages are distinguished in it:
- Phimosis (narrowing of the foreskin sheets, which makes it impossible to remove the glans penis);
- Accumulation of smegma and, consequently, the development of the infectious process (due to 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 foreskin (local signs are expressed in the form of edema, redness, purulent discharge);
- Erosive defects in the head of the penis and foreskin (this condition is defined as the first stage of cancer).
Treatment of papillomas in the penis should be immediate and radical in order to avoid dangerous complications that can lead to significant disruption of life and even death.
diagnostic
Removal of papillomas in the penis can be planned only after the diagnosis is finally established. The main diagnostic measures for this disease:
- Complaint assessment, medical history and clinical picture. The presence of unprotected sex is clarified, the affected area is examined for the presence of flesh-colored growths resembling cauliflower. It is also possible to detect such formations in the mucosa of the mouth, around the anus and in other external genitalia besides the penis.
- Polymerase chain reaction. This technique is difficult to apply, but more than 95% effective, so 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, as well as to accurately determine its type.
- Cytological studies. Using different techniques, antibodies to HPV are detected, which makes it possible to judge the presence of an infection.
Treatment of penile papillomas is performed 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 in the penis. Different techniques are used for therapy:
- Laser removal;
- Cryosurgery;
- Radio wave method (the most optimal option, leaving no cosmetic defects, painless);
- Open surgery;
- Cauterization (chemical agents are used).
Medications can be used in addition to radical therapy. Basically, preference is given to cytostatic drugs. In addition, antiviral medications are prescribed to reduce the risk of relapse.
During the treatment period, sexual intercourse should be avoided to prevent the spread of infection. It is also recommended that all of the patient's sexual partners be tested for the presence of HPV.
Prophylaxis
Preventive measures mainly consist of introducing a protected sex life with a proven partner. You need to be very careful when visiting public baths and saunas, as well as avoid contact with any neoplasms of a person, especially in the presence of microtraumas.
To prevent the development of complications, you should consult a doctor in a timely manner and follow all his appointments and recommendations.
Curing the symptoms of the disease, unfortunately, does not guarantee complete recovery of the patient (i. e. if the papilloma is removed in the penis, it will not yet work to remove the virus from the body), so a man should take care monitor his condition, noting the smallest changes and referring to a doctor. The HPV carrier must maintain a high level of immunity so that clinical manifestations (relapses) do not occur again.