There can be a huge number of diseases caused by the human papillomavirus. In addition, several types of this pathogen can cause the same pathology. The papilloma virus on the penis usually affects the mucous membranes and skin in the male body, localizing on the external genitals.
A papilloma is a benign neoplasm, usually small in size, resembling a cauliflower. This oncological process develops from flat epithelial cells. The tumor rises above the skin and can have both a flesh color and some others (white, dark brown, and so on). The causative agent of all variants of oncology is the human papillomavirus.
HPV is a DNA-containing virus and has a tropism for epithelial tissues, therefore it affects only the skin and mucous membranes of the human body. The pathogenic agent does not have a shell, but it is highly resistant to environmental conditions. HPV makes up a huge group of viruses, which are subdivided into:
- Types with minimal risk of malignancy;
- Types with an average risk of malignancy (special conditions required);
- The type with a high risk of malignant transformation.
Papillomas on the glans penis are considered a precancerous condition, that is, they belong to the latter group of viruses. Therefore, at the first signs of the appearance of pathology, you should consult a doctor and begin treatment. If the process of malignancy has already started, then therapy becomes very difficult.
Reasons for the appearance
For the appearance of papilloma on the penis in men, direct contact with an infected person is required. Microscopic or obvious damage to the skin 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 an obvious clinical picture are infected, but also latent carriers of the virus. During traditional sex, the head of the penis is affected, during oral-genital contacts - the mucous membrane of the mouth and pharynx, during anal - the anus and rectum.
If a man has HPV elsewhere, then during shaving and other manipulations associated with injuries, papillomas may appear on the skin of the penis. The household route of infection is also possible, which is associated with the high resistance of the virus to environmental conditions. Baths and saunas are especially 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 approximately 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 inconvenience 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, not accompanied by subjective symptoms. Sometimes they can 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 sheets of the foreskin, which makes it impossible to remove the glans penis);
- The accumulation of smegma and, as a consequence, the development of the infectious process (due to the narrowing, it is difficult to cleanse 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 head 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 disruption of life and even death.
Diagnostics
Removal of papillomas on the penis can be planned only after the diagnosis is finally established. The main diagnostic measures for this disease:
- Evaluation of complaints, medical history and clinical picture. The presence of unprotected sexual intercourse is clarified, the affected area is examined for the presence of flesh-colored growths resembling cauliflower. It is also possible to detect such formations on the mucous membranes of the mouth, around the anus and on other external genitalia, except for the penis.
- Polymerase chain reaction. This technique is difficult to implement, but more than 95% effective, which is why it is considered the gold standard. With the help of PCR, you can detect the DNA of the virus in the human body, as well as 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 papillomas of the penis is carried out immediately after the exact 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 on the penis. Various 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.
For the period of treatment, sexual intercourse should be avoided to prevent the spread of infection. It is also recommended that all sexual partners of the patient be tested for the presence of HPV.
Prevention
Preventive measures mainly consist in the introduction of a protected sex life with one proven partner. You should be very careful when visiting public baths and saunas, and avoid contact with any neoplasms of a person, especially in the presence of microtraumas.
To prevent the development of complications, you need to consult a doctor in a timely manner and follow all his appointments and recommendations.
Curing the symptoms of the disease, unfortunately, does not guarantee the patient's complete recovery (that is, if the papilloma on the penis is removed, it will still not work to remove the virus from the body), so a man should carefully monitor his condition, noting the slightest changes and contacting a doctor. The HPV carrier must maintain a high level of immunity so that clinical manifestations (relapses) do not occur again.