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Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

General health

Pre cancerous cells on Penis

26 replies

GoneFishing123 · 14/02/2018 20:20

My husband noticed a skin change on the top of his penis about 4 weeks ago. It's a small white patch about the size of a tip of a pencil. It doesn't hurt and it doesn't weep. It hasn't got any bigger and it hasn't got any smaller.

Went to the GP just over 2 weeks ago and he said he had no idea what it was and in 40 years he had never seen anything like it before. He prescribed a moisturizing cream and sent us on our way with a follow up appt 2 weeks after that.

The cream made no difference and when we went back for the appt he said he would refer us to dermatology. He said it could be pre cancerous changes called leucoplakia.
The doc said biopsies would probably need to be taken (ouch)

Knowing how long the waiting list is around here, we have decided to go private and I have an appt on Tuesday morning instead.

I don't really have any questions as such as I know there is nothing that can be done until we see the dermatologist, but as I was going quietly out of my mind, I thought I would try to put it into words for my own sanity. If anyone has any words of wisdom or even a grip to hand to me, I would be eternally grateful.

OP posts:

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StealthPolarBear · 14/02/2018 20:24

Sounds like it has been caught early, whatever it is. Waiting must be awful, hope you get answers soon

mikeyssister · 14/02/2018 21:46

If you google the symptoms loads of different things come up as more likely than cancer. I know that probably won't help, but it's definitely likely to be something else.

GoneFishing123 · 14/02/2018 21:54

Very true Mikey which is why I am not completely freaking out right now. And to add to that, cancer of the penis is very very rare indeed so the chances are slim. Very slim. However, leucoplakia is very much implicated in cancer of the penis and that is why my concern is still bubbling away.

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mikeyssister · 14/02/2018 22:02

Yes, but GP has said he's never seen it before so he's just guessing. At least he's had the cop on to send you to a specialist though.

GoneFishing123 · 14/02/2018 22:09

Again. Very true.

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lovemylover · 15/02/2018 18:38

Surely the waiting time is still 2 weeks or less for any cancer suspicion
Has the Dr not referred him

GoneFishing123 · 15/02/2018 19:56

I did wonder about the two week rule, but maybe suspected pre cancerous changes do not fall under this.

When I said we would go private to avoid a long initial list, the GP said that he would and that spoke volumes to me.

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lovemylover · 15/02/2018 20:39

I would ask about the 2 week rule if i were you, surely anything classed as precancerous should come under that, and i think a Dr has a duty to be honest about it and refer your husband, why should you have to pay privately?

GoneFishing123 · 15/02/2018 20:53

You have a very good point. The GP was going to refer us but he said he couldn't guarantee how long the wait would be and that given the area in question he said he wouldn't wait. He said he suspected leukoplakia and explained that that was pre cancerous cells. Maybe if he put in the referral it would have triggered the two week rule, but instead we got a private referral. £150 is well worth it for our piece of mind. Poor DH really doesn't fancy the sound of biopsies though bless him

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lovemylover · 15/02/2018 21:25

Well i hope the news is good, biopsies arent much fun, my partner has had 2 biopsies recently for prostate cancer and still doesnt have any results, the person you see might have a better idea than the Dr and it could be something entirely benign and if biopsy is needed might not be as bad as your husband expects, and with it being such a sensitive are he might be given a general anaesthetic

GoneFishing123 · 15/02/2018 21:30

Oh mylover I hope you get the results back soon. Will keep my fingers crossed for good news for you both.

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lovemylover · 15/02/2018 22:23

Thank you, he gets the results hopefully on the 5th March,it has been going on since an infection early June,he had a prostate biopsy, then MRI and Nuclear scan then another perineum biopsy 3 weeks ago,
They thought all was clear but found a dark spot on the perineum, that biopsy was done under GA the first under local, in the middle of it all he got sepsis,
I hope your husbands news is good,at least i have to say our hospital have been really good and thorough

GoneFishing123 · 15/02/2018 22:35

My word, that is a lot to go through. Am glad your hospital is being thorough.

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lovemylover · 22/02/2018 09:49

GoneFishing how did you get on at the Drs I hope it wasnt as bad you thought it might be
My partner has got his results, well part of it.he has cancer, but on March the 5th will find out more details, and what the treatment will be

Namethecat · 22/02/2018 09:57

I have a friend who's husband is 60 and he is being treated with pre cancerous spots/blemish on his penis. He has been told his is due to a mutation of genital warts he was treated for many years ago. She did give me the name of it but I can't remember ( but definitely not your husband's diagnosis ) He has been given a very strong cream which he puts on for a set time and then stops and restarts again after a while. I believe it's been on going for a few months. I'm telling you this because perhaps the treatment for your husband could be as simple as this.

GoneFishing123 · 23/02/2018 15:00

mylover Am so sorry to hear that news. What an awful time for you both. Will pray that it hasn't got too advanced. to you. X

Well, we saw a truly lovely and kind doctor. He was so utterly lovely, I wanted to take him home with us

He thinks it may be an inflammatory condition and is treating it with a high dose of topical steroids, but just in case it isn't, he has transferred us to his NHS list to be seen in a few weeks to look at a biopsy.

So feeling much more positive now and am keeping fingers crossed that the steroids work.

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lovemylover · 24/02/2018 00:01

Have you name changed? or have i been talking to the wrong person,? but thank you for your good wishes, and the flowers, we hope its something that can easily be treated,
Can only hope and pray now, and keep all fingers x
So pleased you are feeling more positive about it, its easy to think the worst isnt it
Hope it clears up and no biopsy needed

GoneFishing123 · 24/02/2018 10:04

Nope, you are talking to the dick who did a NN fail. I did ask MNHQ to change it for me. Oh well.

A very quick Google of his condition (male genital lichen sclerosus) says that it is classed as a pre cancerous condition and there are varying statistics on on this condition mutating to full blown cancer from 5% to 50%. Am guessing that is why they would be looking to do the biopsy. Will just have to see what happens.

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GoneFishing123 · 24/02/2018 10:29

And MN have very kindly sorted the NN fail.

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lovemylover · 24/02/2018 10:49

Oh dearer mind, as long as i am talking to the right person
I hope it doesnt go on to be cancerous
How old is your DH ? does it make a difference as to what the outcome would be
Of course the main priority is their health

lovemylover · 24/02/2018 10:49

Sorry should say never mind, dont know how some letters were missed out

PollyPerky · 24/02/2018 10:56

There are two main types of lesion for want of a better word.

One is lichen sclerosis which is completely curable with cream and doesn't become cancerous. The other is caused by the HPV (same as which causes cervical cancer in women. The treatment for this is often circumcision as the virus clears itself once exposed to air , and if not, a chemo type cream is used.

There are only 1 or 2 real experts on penile and pre-cancer of the penis in the UK - many men are given severe, radical treatment which is unnecessary. (I can tell you more my PM if you want to know anything else.)

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PollyPerky · 24/02/2018 11:00

ps they can't tell anything without a biopsy and even then, a more radical biopsy is sometimes needed. Steroid cream can be the worst treatment if it's cancer because topical steroids dampen down the immune system and cancer or pre cancer needs an active immune system to cure it. You need a biopsy asap. But having said that the condition can take years (like 10) to turn from pre cancerous to cancerous.

GoneFishing123 · 24/02/2018 11:21

Polly thank you for the very helpful posts.

The dermatologist was reluctant to do an immediate biopsy because of the area and wanted to give the steroids a chance to work. If they do, we don't need the biopsy. If they don't then we do. He was going to book DH staight onto his surgical day list and to be seen within 6 weeks. Am guessing with the hope that this can be cancelled if not required.

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PollyPerky · 24/02/2018 13:01

I think you have to wait and see. Short term use of steroids won't do any harm but clearly if it's not lichen sclerosis or the other condition is ballintitis, then you need to see what's going on.

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