Papillomas are swollen formations that appear on the skin and mucous membranes of a person. They are not actually a disease, but serve only as an external manifestation of the infection in the body with HPV - the human papillomavirus.
Papillomaviruses are found in many different strains, some of which are dangerous because neoplasms have the property of malignant transformation, that is, they can turn into malignant tumors.
The causes of the appearance of papillomas on the penis
Papillomas are benign formations on the skin or mucous membranes of a warty nature.
The human papillomavirus is transmitted in several ways, from a sick to a healthy one. The main method is sexual, with unprotected intercourse. However, you can "get" the virus in the household, by contacting a carrier if there are integrity defects on the body or mucous membranes, through blood and other fluids infected with the virus.
It is quite difficult to completely "eradicate" a virus that has already entered the body, but in about 90% of cases an independent cure takes place, ie the immune system itself "kills" the virus. However, in some cases, the disease has a recurrent nature and can last for many years.
A particular danger is posed by strains with the ability to malignancy, that is, to transform a neoplasm into a malignant one.
HPV has a long incubation period, with strong immunity, it can last from a month to a year.
But once the immune system is weakened, it will immediately take effect. Symptoms of its presence are formations on the body and mucous membranes, which can have a round, oval or oblong shape and different sizes, from a few millimeters to a few centimeters.
More than 600 virus strains are known from drugs, of which more than 40 are capable of causing neoplasms in the genital and anal regions of men and women. They are the ones that cause papillomas on the penis which are referred to as genital warts.
Some of the papillomas are harmless to human health, others are capable of causing an irritating cosmetic defect - warts, and still others threaten the body with the most dangerous disease - cancer. There is medical evidence between cervical and breast cancer that develops with infection with certain HPV strains.
If a virus that can cause papillomas on the genitals enters the body, the main route of its entry is considered to be sexual. Promiscuous relationships, bisexual and homosexual contacts are particularly dangerous. But the virus may well be congenital - the fetus becomes infected when it passes through the birth canal of an infected mother. There is also a risk of infection in skin lesions when visiting the pool, public toilet, shower, sauna, gym, during epilation, shaving.
Signs and symptoms of the disease
Symptoms depend on the location, number and size of papillomas.
Most often, papillomas on the penis affect the head of the organ, "sit" along the foreskin, form colonies on the reins and can even penetrate the urethra.
With a strong spread of papillomas take the form of "cauliflower", during intercourse urination can become sore, sore and even bleeding.
As this is a viral disease, the period of activation of the growth of papillomas is accompanied by a sharp decrease in immunity. A person feels weak, lethargic, his body temperature may rise, most often stick to subfebrile levels (37 - 37, 5 ° C). Since immunity is impaired, an infected person can easily catch a cold and "collect" ARVI and ARI.
The spread of papillomas can lead to phimosis - a narrowing of the foreskin.
Due to this condition, a special lubricant accumulates on the head of the penis - smegma. Its infection can lead to the development of a dangerous disease, therefore, if even single papillomas are found, there is an urgent need to consult a doctor. Individual neoplasms can be removed very quickly and almost painlessly, preventing their growth and a high risk of degeneration into a malignant tumor.
Necessary tests and exams
The presence of papilloma is determined by the physician visually, but other studies are needed to clarify the burden and the degree of its risk to the patient. The patient donates blood for typing using PCR, a Digene screening test, and is examined for the presence of sexually transmitted diseases, as HPV in the vast majority of cases is "bundled" with sexually transmitted diseases.
If penetration of papillomas into the urethra is suspected, urethroscopy is performed. The doctor may prescribe a biopsy if the growth is too great or if the doctors suspect that the formation has begun to degenerate into a cancerous tumor.
Methods of treatment and removal of papillomas
It is impossible to completely remove the human papillomavirus from the body of the infected person, sometimes it remains in it until the end of the patient's life. Medicines to fight HPV are the use of antiviral drugs and immune modulators that stimulate the activity of a person's own immunity.
Basically, the actions of doctors are aimed at eliminating external signs of the presence of a virus, that is, the papillomas themselves, warts and genital warts.
Only in cases of cancer degeneration is complex treatment used, which includes surgery and the use of chemotherapy to eliminate the threat of tumor spread.
To remove papillomas on the penis, the following treatment methods are used:
- Surgical removal.
- Electrocoagulation.
- Removal of formations with a laser (neodymium or carbon dioxide).
- Cryodestruction - destruction of a neoplasm by liquid nitrogen. Cryodestruction can be applied or aerosolized.
- Cauterization with chemicals.
In most cases, the use of these methods is sufficient to remove the papilloma and prevent its recurrence.
The method of treatment is chosen by the doctor depending on the degree of injury, the type of neoplasm, the patient's state of health and his age.
There is a specialized vaccine used for women to prevent the most dangerous disease - squamous cell carcinoma or cervical cancer. It has been proven to be caused by one of the dangerous strains of the human papillomavirus as this type of cancer does not occur in the absence of HPV in the body.
Unfortunately, today there is no vaccine that can prevent infection with other types of human papillomavirus, including those that induce the occurrence of growths on intimate male organs. The only effective way to protect is still the use of condoms during intercourse, as well as observance of personal hygiene, a careful attitude to possible infection in public places.
Prognosis and possible complications
Doctors came to the conclusion that in 90% of all cases of HPV infection, if a person has strong immunity, the body manages independently of the virus within 24 months. However, this observation only applies to certain strains of the human papillomavirus that are not capable of causing the development of cancer.
The most dangerous complication should be considered as malignancy, that is, the transformation of papilloma into cancer. However, only a fraction of HPV strains have such properties. The sad consequences can be prevented with early access to medical care and timely diagnosis.
In rare cases, after removal of the papilloma, neoplasms can form on and around the scar tissue if the virus actively multiplies in the patient's body due to weakened immunity. In such a situation, repeated removal of papillomas and extensive strengthening of the patient's immunity will be required to prevent further growth of formations.
In most cases, the prognosis is positive if the disease is not too advanced. However, this rarely happens with genital warts, as their development causes severe discomfort to the man and he quickly turns to doctors.