Penile Cancer: Medical History

Medical history (history of illness) represents an important component in the diagnosis of penile carcinoma (penile cancer).

Family history

Social history

  • Have you been abroad recently? Did you have sexual contact there?
  • Have you had sexual contact with people with similar symptoms?

Current medical history/systemic history (somatic and psychological complaints).

  • How long have the penile changes been present?
  • What symptoms have you noticed?
    • Redness of the glans?
    • Red or white spot on the glans?
    • Punctate or areal mucosal defects?
    • Nodular changes?
    • Swelling of the glans?
    • Hardening of the glans?
    • Bloody discharge from the foreskin sac?* .
    • Itching?
    • Burning?
  • Was there a trigger?
  • Do you have pain when you urinate?
  • Do you have discharge from the urethra?
  • Have you noticed swelling of the groin?* .
  • Do you have a fever? If so, for how long and what is the temperature?
  • What other symptoms have you noticed?

Vegetative anamnesis including nutritional anamnesis.

  • Have you lost body weight unintentionally in the recent past? If so, how much weight in what time?
  • Do you smoke? If yes, how many cigarettes, cigars or pipes per day?
  • Do you drink alcohol more often? If yes, what drink(s) and how many glasses of it per day?
  • Do you use drugs? If yes, which drugs and how often per day or per week?

Self history incl. medication history.

  • Pre-existing conditions (urological diseases; sexually transmitted diseases, skin diseases).
  • Operations (operations on the genitourinary tract).
  • PUVA (psoralen plus UV-A phototherapy/UV-A) for psoriasis.
  • Radiotherapy
  • Vaccination status
  • Allergies
  • Travel history (due topossible venereal diseases/sexual diseases).
  • Environmental anamnesis
  • Medication history (ointment treatments of the penis? If so, since when?).

* If this question has been answered with “Yes”, an immediate visit to the doctor is required! (Information without guarantee)