Epidemiological Analysis of Penile Neoplasms in Brazil and Its Social Determinants

Abstract

Introduction: Penile neoplasms, although preventable, are frequent even among young persons. Penile neoplasms have a high risk of not only morbidity and mortality but also important psychosocial repercussions.

Objective: To describe the epidemiology of penile neoplasms in Brazil.

Method: This was an epidemiological, descriptive and cross-sectional study. Data on all the notified cases of penile neoplasms in Brazil between 1985 and 2015 were obtained from RCPBP/INCA and DATASUS databases.

Results: Of 9 625 notified cases of penile neoplasms, a higher proportion of cancer patients was observed among patients aged between 40 and 70 years (63.5%) and among smokers (21%), in Brown and Caucasian patients (80%), those who were married (54.2%), had high alcohol intake levels (16%) and with lower levels of education: illiterate people (21.5%), those with incomplete elementary school education (36.6%) and those with complete elementary school education (10.3%). The lesions were located in the glans (22.6%), prepuce (7.5%) and the penile body (7.5%). Higher mortality rates were observed in the age-group 50 to 80 years and in among patients from the Northeast (31.4%) and Southeast (39.2%) regions of the country.

Conclusion: Penile neoplasms, which mainly affect young people that are economically active, are prevalent in Brazil and the majority of patients present with an advanced stage of the disease. They are Brown and Caucasian, married, with poor education and live in the Northeast and Southeast regions of the country.