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Orchid hosts first Penile Cancer Support and Information Day

On Friday 4 September 2009 Orchid jointly hosted the first Penile Cancer Support and Information Day with Macmillan Cancer Support. The event was held at St Georges Hospital in Tooting, London which is one of ten specialist centres (known as Supra-Networks) to treat penile cancer in the UK.

The day started with a talk on the management of lymphoedema by Melanie McCann, the Clinical Nurse Specialist in Lymphoedema at St George’s Hospital. Lymphoedema is the swelling of an arm, leg, groin or other part of the body and occurs when fluid called lymph has built up in that area. It can happen if cancer blocks the drainage of fluid through the lymphatic system or when part of the lymphatic drainage system has been removed by surgery or damaged by treatment. Temporary swelling is usual directly after penile cancer treatment but chronic swelling lasting over three months unfortunately occurs in over 16% of patients. Lymphoedema is more common in patients with a lower lymphatic or immune system before treatment or after more invasive surgery. Although it cannot be cured permanently there are things that can help such as increased exercise, muscle tone, deep breathing, massage, pumping and wearing compression clothes. It was discussed that these measures could be implemented as self-help techniques before and after surgery to reduce the risk of having lymphoedema long term.

Further information is available on lymphoedema at:

Lymphoedema Support Network

The British Lymphology Society

Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) UK

Renowned Penile Cancer Specialist Dr Nick Watkins, discussed a new treatment technique being introduced across the UK’s ten Supra-Networks. Sentinel Lymph Nodes Biopsy removes only single cancerous lymph nodes in the groin using blue die and a radioactive tracer, rather than the dissection of the whole area. Successful trials have shown this reduces long term complications and helps to improve the patient’s quality of life post-treatment. Dr Watkins also reported a positive outcome of the government’s new waiting time targets - when a Urologist suspects a penile cancer case they are now referred to a specialist within two weeks and treated within 31 days.

The days’ final talk ‘Sex is not everything – but communication is!’ was presented by Lorraine Grover, a Clinical Nurse Specialist and Therapist in Sexual Wellbeing at St George’s Hospital. Lorraine sits on several advisory boards and is a regular speaker both in the UK and internationally on male sexual health. She is part of a holistic management team at the hospital and offers support to patients and their partners on a range of issues both emotional and practical. She strongly emphasised the benefits of offering this service, which is now available on the NHS, to all penile cancer patients and their partners.

The day closed with a discussion on the key issues for people affected or interested in penile cancer, access to existing services and new services that might be considered in the future. Another Information Day is planned for the future.

For more information on penile cancer or to register your interest for the next event please contact Orchid on 0203 465 5766.