"It's something you never imagine will happen to you," says João, 63, who under went a partial amputation.

…

Between 2012 and 2022, there were 21,000 reported cases, according to Brazil’s Ministry of Health. This resulted in more than 4,000 deaths and, over the past decade, there have been more than 6,500 amputations - averaging two each day.

Maranhão, the poorest state in Brazil, was found to have the highest incidence rate globally at 6.1 per 100,000 men.

Symptoms of penile cancer often start with a sore on the penis that does not heal and a strong-smelling discharge. Some people get bleeding and colour changes of the penis, too.

When detected early, there is a high chance of recovery through treatments such as the surgical removal of the lesion, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

But if left untreated, partial or total amputation of the penis, and possibly other nearby genital organs such as the testicles, may become necessary.

    • rowrowrowyourboat@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      0·
      2 months ago

      Yeah, but you still have a 99.999…% chance of not getting your dick amputated on any given day as a Brazilian.

      It’s still a minuscule chance of getting your dick amputated due to penile cancer. Penile cancer itself is extremely rare. Less than 0.01% chance.

  • Wahots@pawb.socialEnglish
    1·
    2 months ago

    Good christ. Wash your dick, get your HPV vaccines, and don’t smoke. That sounds like a fucking nightmare if you need your urethra relocated.

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldMEnglish
          0·
          2 months ago

          I’ve had multiple nightmares where it just comes off in my hand. Not the whole thing, “just the tip.”

          I don’t think it’s a ‘loss of masculinity’ thing, it’s more about something dreadful very suddenly happening to my body that I can’t undo.

          • Ms. ArmoredThirteen@lemmy.mlEnglish
            01·
            2 months ago

            So I’m trans and find this pretty interesting. I used to have euphoria dreams where it would come off entirely. Now I’m newly post op and I’m having the occasional nightmares where it’s come back or worse, I start like disentigrating from inside and things fall out of me. Body horror dreams are wild

  • sudo42@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    2 months ago

    From the article, it sounds like the HPV vaccine would help prevent these penile cancers.
    Refresh my memory… weren’t Republicans up in arms trying to prevent their children from getting the HPV vaccine?

    • ipkpjersi@lemmy.mlEnglish
      1·
      2 months ago

      Well, now I’m even more glad I got the HPV vaccine (I got the one for 9 types), damn.

      I always thought it’d be possible that getting HPV could lead to a penile amputation like maybe in insanely rare cases, but holy fuck that 6500 seems like a large number to think about when you consider that 1 is too many.