“I Was Blindsided”: The Hidden Epidemic of Penile Cancer and One Man’s Fight to Break the Stigma
When 36-year-old Patrick Meehan noticed an unusual, painless rash on his penis, he assumed it was a simple allergic reaction to a new shower gel. Nine months later, what he thought was a harmless skin irritation resulted in a devastating diagnosis: penile cancer.
Patrick’s story highlights a growing, yet rarely discussed, health crisis. Diagnoses of penile cancer have surged by 20% over the past decade, yet awareness remains dangerously low.
The Warning Sign That Was Ignored
Patrick’s symptoms began in January 2021 as angry marks on the head of his penis. A doctor initially prescribed a daily steroid cream, which cleared the rash but left behind a pea-sized, ulcerated lump under his foreskin. Because it looked like a minor burn and wasn’t painful, Patrick—who leads a busy life running a home for teenagers—didn’t immediately rush back to the doctor.
It wasn’t until October that a specialist took a biopsy. The results were shocking. “Just hearing the word ‘cancer’ totally blindsided me,” Patrick recalls.
It wasn’t until nine months after he noticed the rash that Patrick Meehan went to his local genitourinary medicine clinic
Why Are Cases on the Rise? The HPV Connection
In the UK, around 770 new cases of penile cancer are diagnosed annually, claiming roughly 180 lives. While it is more common in men over 50, younger men like Patrick are increasingly affected.
Medical experts, including Professor Asif Muneer from University College London Hospitals, point to several key drivers behind this upward trend:
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Human Papillomavirus (HPV): This common virus, transmitted via skin-to-skin contact, is the leading suspect. While the body naturally clears most HPV infections, certain high-risk subtypes linger, slowly altering cells and causing cancer.
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Lack of Circumcision: Penile cancer primarily develops under the foreskin. Lower rates of neonatal circumcision mean more men have a foreskin where inflammation and infections can take hold.
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Other Risk Factors: Smoking, a weakened immune system, phimosis (a tight, non-retractable foreskin), and lichen sclerosus (a chronic inflammatory skin condition) also increase the risk.
(Note: In 2019, the UK extended its HPV vaccination program to include adolescent boys, a crucial step toward preventing future cases of HPV-related cancers.)
Symptoms Men Ignore: Don’t Mistake It for Thrush
A major hurdle in treating penile cancer is embarrassment. Men are notoriously slow to seek help for intimate health issues, often dismissing the symptoms as thrush or a minor infection.
Seek medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms for more than four weeks:
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A painless lump, sore, or ulcer on the penis.
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Wart-like or cauliflower-like growths hidden under the foreskin.
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Unexplained bleeding or discharge.
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A foul odor.
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A foreskin that suddenly becomes tight and difficult to pull back.
Modern Treatment: Preserving Life and Function
Historically, advanced cases required penectomies (partial or full removal of the penis). Today, thanks to medical advancements and early detection, that is rarely the case.
If caught early, the survival rate for penile cancer is over 90%. Modern urologists prioritize penile-preserving surgery, which safely removes the cancer while maintaining cosmetic appearance and sexual function.
Common procedures include:
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Glansectomy: Removal of the head of the penis.
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Glans Resurfacing: The procedure Patrick underwent, which involves stripping away only the cancerous outer layer of tissue.
In both cases, surgeons rebuild the affected area using a skin graft, typically taken from the patient’s thigh. To ensure the cancer hasn’t spread, doctors may also perform a dynamic central-node biopsy to check the lymph nodes in the groin.
Life After Surgery
Patrick underwent a successful four-hour glans resurfacing operation in February 2022. While the initial recovery was painful, the results were life-saving. Three weeks later, he was given the all-clear. Within a few months, he was hiking in Ireland, playing gigs with his band, and comfortably resuming his sex life.
Today, Patrick is cancer-free and uses his platform to urge other men to get checked. “I’m confident talking about penile cancer… I try and help people learn about it,” he says. “Even if you do have it, it’s not a case of ‘game over’… I’m still here enjoying my life.”
