Read article Should I see a specialist in penile cancer?
This page tells you about seeing a penile cancer specialist. There is information on
Should I see a specialist in penile cancer?
It can be very difficult for GPs to decide who may have a suspected cancer and who has something more minor. But there are particular symptoms that mean your GP should refer you to a specialist straight away.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) have produced guidelines for GPs to help them decide which patients need to be seen urgently by a specialist.
The NICE referral guidelines state that GPs should refer any man with symptoms of penile cancer to a specialist urgently. According to Department of Health guidelines, you should ideally get an appointment within 2 weeks for an urgent referral.
If you are still worried
If you are concerned that your GP is not taking your symptoms as seriously as you think he or she should, you could print this page and the symptoms page and take them along to your appointment. Ask your GP to talk it through with you and then you may be able to decide together whether you need to see a specialist.
You can view and print the quick guides for all the pages in the about penile cancer section.
It can be very difficult for GPs to decide who may have a suspected cancer and who may have something much less serious that will go away on its own. With many symptoms, it is perfectly right that your GP should ask you to wait to see if they get better, or respond to treatment such as antibiotics. If GPs referred everyone who came to see them to a specialist immediately, the system would get jammed and those needing urgent appointments wouldn't be able to get them. But there are particular symptoms that mean your GP should refer you to a specialist straight away.
There are particular symptoms that mean your doctor should refer you to a specialist straight away. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) have produced guidelines for GPs to help them decide which patients need to be seen urgently by a specialist. These Government guidelines on referrals for cancer of the penis were issued in June 2005. While reading these guidelines it is important to remember that
- Penile cancer is a rare cancer - just under 500 cases a year in the UK
- Most cases are diagnosed in men over the age of 60
According to Department of Health guidelines, you should ideally get an appointment within 2 weeks for an urgent referral. The NICE referral guidelines state that GPs should refer any man with symptoms of penile cancer to a specialist urgently.
If you are concerned that your GP is not taking your symptoms as seriously as you think he or she should, you could print this page and the symptoms page and take them along to your appointment. Ask your GP to talk it through with you and then you may be able to decide together whether you need to see a specialist.
- Share this: Tweet
-
-
- Print this page
-
Email this page
Increase text size
Decrease text size
Print page
Print basket
Save pages here and print in one go
Nurse helpline
Questions about cancer? Call freephone
0808 800 4040
or email us
