Papillomas are swollen formations that appear on the skin and mucous membranes of a person. In fact, they are not a disease, but only serve as an external manifestation of infection of the body with HPV - human papillomavirus.
Papillomavirus is found in many different strains, and some of them are dangerous because neoplasms have the property of malignant transformation, that is, they can turn into malignant tumors.
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 from a sick person to a healthy person in various ways. The main method is sexual with unprotected intercourse. However, if there are integrity defects in the body or mucous membranes, you can "get" the virus in the home environment through contact with a carrier, through infected blood and other fluids.
It is quite difficult to completely "destroy" a virus that has already entered the body, but in about 90% of cases an independent treatment takes place, that is, the immune system itself "kills" the virus. However, in some cases the disease becomes recurrent and can last for many years.
A special danger is posed by strains capable of malignancy, that is, for the transformation of a neoplasm into a malignant one.
HPV has a long incubation period with strong immunity, it can last from a month to a year.
However, once the immune system is weakened, it will immediately make itself felt. Signs of its presence are formations on the body and mucous membranes, which can have a round, oval or rectangular shape and various sizes - from a few millimeters to several centimeters.
More than 600 strains of the virus are known in medicine, and more than 40 of them can cause neoplasms in the genital and anal areas in men and women. They are the ones that cause papillomas on the penis, called genital warts.
Some of the papillomas are harmless to human health, others can provoke an annoying cosmetic defect - warts - and still others threaten the body with the most dangerous disease - cancer. There is medical evidence between cervical and breast cancer developing with infection with certain strains of HPV.
If a virus that can cause papillomas on the genitals enters the body, the main route of entry is considered sexual. Casual relationships, bisexual and homosexual contacts are particularly dangerous. But the virus can be congenital - the fetus becomes infected when it passes through the birth canal of an infected mother. In addition, there is a risk of infection in skin lesions when going to the pool, public toilet, bath, sauna, gym, epilating and shaving.
Signs and symptoms of the disease
Symptoms depend on the place of localization, the number and size of papillomas.
Most often, papillomas on the penis affect the head of the organ, "setting" along the foreskin, forming colonies on the bridle and can even penetrate the urethra.
With a strong proliferation of papillomas, it takes the form of "cauliflower", urination during sexual intercourse can hurt, hurt and even bleed.
Since this is a viral disease, the period of activation of the growth of papillomas is accompanied by a strong decrease in immunity. A person feels weak, lethargic, body temperature may rise, often clinging to subfebrile levels (37 - 37. 5 ° C). Since immunity is reduced, an infected person can easily catch a cold and "get" ARVI and ARI.
The proliferation of papillomas can lead to phimosis, which is 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, which prevents their growth and a high risk of developing into a malignant tumor.
Necessary tests and examinations
The presence of the papilloma is determined visually by the doctor, but further studies are needed to clarify the tension and the degree of risk for the patient. The patient donates blood for typing using PCR, a Digene screening test, and is examined for the presence of STDs, as in the overwhelming majority of cases HPV is "packaged" with STDs.
If there is a suspicion of penetration of papillomas into the urethra, urethroscopy is performed. If the growth is very large or doctors suspect that the formation is starting to develop into a cancerous tumor, the doctor may prescribe a biopsy.
Methods for the 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 immunomodulators that stimulate the activity of a person's own immunity.
Basically, the actions of doctors are aimed at eliminating the external signs of the presence of a virus, namely, the papillomas themselves, warts and genital warts.
Only in the case of cancerous degeneration is complex therapy performed, which includes the use of surgery and 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 by laser (neodymium or carbon dioxide).
- Cryodestruction - destruction of a neoplasm using liquid nitrogen. Cryodestruction can be applied or aerosolized.
- Cauterization with chemicals.
In most cases, the use of these methods is enough to remove the papilloma and prevent its reappearance.
The method of treatment is chosen by the doctor depending on the degree of damage, the type of neoplasm, the state of health and age of the patient.
There is a special vaccine used in 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, since in the absence of HPV in the body this type of cancer does not occur.
Unfortunately, today there is no vaccine that can prevent infection with other types of human papillomavirus, including those that provoke the appearance of growths in the intimate male organs. The only effective means of protection are still the use of condoms during sexual intercourse, observance of personal hygiene, a cautious attitude to possible infections in public places.
Prognosis and possible complications
Doctors concluded that in 90% of all cases of HPV infection, if a person has strong immunity, the body independently copes with the virus within 24 months. However, this observation applies only to certain strains of the human papillomavirus, which cannot trigger cancer development.
The most dangerous complication should be considered as malignancy, that is, the transformation of the papilloma into cancer. However, only some of the HPV strains have these characteristics. With early access to medical assistance and timely diagnosis, distressing consequences can be avoided.
In rare cases, after removal of the papilloma, neoplasms may form in and around the scar tissue, if the virus is actively multiplying in the patient's body due to weak immunity. In such a situation, repeated removal of papillomas and comprehensive strengthening of the patient's immunity will be required to prevent further growth of formations.
In most cases, the prognosis is favorable if the disease is not too advanced. But this rarely happens with genital warts, because their development causes serious discomfort to the man and quickly turns to doctors.