Circumcision Debate

I suspect everyone here knows at least one person who has died of cancer. It is a horrible word,a nd strikes fear into the hearts of most of us - especially when we think abot the possibility of our children getting it. So it is understandable that parents grasp at infant circumcision as a way to reduce their son's risk of penile cancer.

But does it really reduce the risk? Penile cancer is very rare (the American Cancer Society gives an incidence of 1 in 100,000, or 0.01%. Of the estimated 1290 new cases diagnosed in a given year, 300 will die, so the death rate is 0.0023%. Our sons are much more likely to develop breast cancer than penile cancer (the ACS estimates 1910 new cases of male breast cancer this year, with 400 deaths). How many of us know a man who has had breast cancer?

The American Cancer Society lists smoking, HPV, multiple sex partners, and poor hygiene as risk factors for penile cancer. This is what they say about circumcision:

In the past, circumcision has been suggested as a way to prevent penile cancer. This was based on studies that reported much lower penile cancer rates among circumcised men than among uncircumcised men. But most researchers now believe those studies were flawed because they failed to consider other risk factors, such as smoking, personal hygiene, and the number of sexual partners.

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_2X_Can_penile_cancer_be_prevented_35.asp?rnav=cri

Ann, it is important to understand what penile cancer is and about it.

There are actually 5 different types of cancers grouped under the name penile cancer.  Only one of these could be impacted by circumcision.  The scientific name for it is squamous cell carcinoma in situ.

The cause of these cancers is human papilloma virus infection or HPV.  This infection is common but 97% - 98% of infected people develop a natural immunity to the virus much like a vaccine provides.  For ultimate protection, the HPV vaccine, Gardasil, has been approved for use in boys and will virtually eliminate the risk beyond the miniscule risk.

These cancers show visible symptoms because they are skin cancers and appear on the skin surface as a small sore, ulcer or leison.  Any man who notices one of these leisons should schedule a doctors appointment.  This cancer is a slow growing one and if treatment is sought in a reasonable time frame (a couple of years) the treatment consists of the same treatment for this identical cancer people get on their face and arms from over exposure to the sun.  Typically, a match head piece of skin containing the cancer is removed in the doctor's office and a band aid is placed over the site while it heals.  Healing comes in a couple of weeks.  This is a painless procedure usually accomplished by either burning or freezing the cancer away.  The procedure only takes minutes.

Circumcised men can also get these cancers.  As a matter of fact, the only man I've ever heard of having one of these cancers had it directly on his circumcision scar.

To illustrate just how rare these cancers are, imagine a city of 50,000 people where all of the men are intact.  In this imaginary city it can be expected that one of these cancers will be seen by the doctors once every 256 years!  Obviously, surgery on newborns to prevent these cancers is an extreme measure.

Frank

256 years is far off for a family who has seen 3 members die.  You may have the vague statistics, but if it does indeed, hit your family, it is tragic, and not to be blown off.

All the medical research in the world does NOT take away that family members can die with penile cancer.  For those it has touched, it is not some low percentage in the sky.

Nivri Bug, what you are saying is virtually impossible.  The chances of one man getting squamous cell carcinoma is remote.  The chances of two men from the same family getting it is virtually impossible.  That would be like winning the Powerball Lottery in three consequetive weeks.  For three men from the same family getting it would be like winning the Powerball Lottery  three consequetive weeks and bankrupting Las Vegas at the same time.  For any of them to die of it would indicate that they didn't seek treatment despite the symptoms.

Are you thinking of prostate cancer?  That would be possible although unlikely.

Frank