Androscopy: a technique for examining men for condyloma

Genital human papilloma virus (HPV) infections manifest themselves as condylomas. Certain HPV virus types have been documented to cause cervical cancer and have been implicated in vulvar, vaginal, and some anorectal cancers. Cervical cancer, then, is a sexually transmitted disease. Men who carry the virus must be identified and treated if the spread of the disease is to be controlled. Gross visual inspection is inadequate since the viruses with the most oncogenic potential (HPV types 16 and 18) are generally flat and small. Androscopy uses acetic acid staining and magnification to identify the lesions when present. Patient education regarding the potential spread and carcinogenicity of these lesions completes the procedure.