Initial symptoms and delay in patients with penile carcinoma

This study aimed to assess initial symptoms and factors associated with patients' and doctors' delay in penile carcinoma.

Fifty consecutive patients with penile carcinoma treated with an organ-sparing technique and nine with partial amputation were enrolled in a prospective study at the Department of Urology, Örebro University Hospital, between 2005 and 2009. Face-to-face structured interviews in combination with self-assessment forms were used for the patients' descriptions of clinical symptoms, treatment seeking and reasons for delay. Data were also extracted from the medical records confirming time-lag between GP assessment, specialist care and time for diagnosis.

Erythema, rash and eczema were the most common initial symptoms (35%). In total, 65% had a patients' delay of more than 6 months, and among these there was a small, but not statistically significant, predominance for pT1 and pTis tumours. Living with a stable partner did not affect the delay. The most common reason for patients' delay was the feeling of embarrassment over symptoms localized in a sexual body area. Nine patients had a doctors' delay of more than 3 months from first special visit to diagnosis. Eight of these patients consulted dermatologists and were subjected to repeated biopsies, leaving premalignant results.

A considerable proportion of the patients had a patients' delay of more than 6 months, perhaps due to benign initial symptoms as erythema, rash or eczema. Psychological factors such as embarrassment and denial may also be involved, as well as insufficient awareness or knowledge.