Penile Cancer

Peter: I started with a small itch in the penis and each night it got gradually worse so I thought I’d better go and see a doctor about it and they treated it with Canesten cream. But after a period of a matter of a few weeks it didn’t subside any, and in fact it got really worse.

Frank: When I first realized something was wrong, the main symptom, the symptom was difficulty in urinating. And then gradually the, if I describe the penis the opening of the penis started to close and it started to form a skin over it. And within three or four weeks I was in tremendous pain.

Tim: By that time I was starting to get used to people prodding me down there, so... He was, he was very chatty, very helpful, and he said, he said, ‘Right, I think there is something that we need to look at. It’s probably nothing, but err but you do realise we’re talking about penile cancer here.’ And he said, ‘Oh, oh there’s just a very slim chance.’ And I said, ‘OK, what sort of chance is it?’ And he said, ‘10%.’ And to me that suddenly started to sound much more than a slim chance. It started to be serious. And there was a definite chance there.

Steve: But it's, it's just a word cancer it’s beatable. And, all things in life are beatable so-. It's upsetting, it makes you feel nervous about what the future is, but just keep a positive attitude to it and you can work through it.    

Tom: And I had an operation whereby they removed the whole of my foreskin. They took some, for want of a better term, some lumps off the side and the end of my penis and I didn't feel a thing because obviously I was unconscious at the time. I was rather surprised to be out of the hospital within 24 hours. Back home and not really inconvenienced too much. I’d obviously a lot of swelling, a lot of disfiguration, but all my bodily functions - I could go to the toilet, I could pass water without any problems. And, you know, I was sort of, well, quite, quite relieved that that particular part of it was over.

Jim: I’ve sort of shared this this problem with family and friends. It’s not a taboo subject. It’s been kept in the open which I think, you know, if I’d lost a foot that would obvious. This isn’t obvious because it’s covered by clothes and I think it should not be taboo at all. I think it should be brought out in the open. I felt better for it I’m sure.

Ian: Well, I got, I did go back every three months but now they put me to every 5 or 6 months. Simply because if it doesn't come back in the first two years, there's a chance it won't come back in up to the next three years making it five. So I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that I get to five and without any problems, but -.  That’s all you can hope for.