Steven Hamill says his first warning sign was when the head of his penis ballooned to four times its usual size. He says his condition was dismissed as balanitis and he was given steroids when he went to the doctor in March 2019. Steven Hamill was sent home with a topical cream after his initial GP visit.
Hamill says his cancer was dismissed as a possibility due to his age, with a doctor saying it 'couldn't be cancer' because he was only 26 at the time.
Steven Hamill is now cancer-free and the father of a four-year-old boy. He says he was left with about four inches of his penis after surgery, and it is fully functional.
Steven Hamill has gone public to raise awareness of penile cancer symptoms and encourage men to seek help.
Around 700 men are diagnosed with penile cancer in Britain each year. Penile cancer most commonly occurs in men over the age of 50.
More than 60% of penile cancer cases are linked to known risk factors such as HPV infection, smoking, and chronic inflammatory skin conditions. Major risk factors for penile cancer include smoking, not being circumcised, a weakened immune system, and older age.
Penile cancer symptoms can be mistaken for less serious problems, leading to late diagnosis. Symptoms of penile cancer include a growth, lump, or sore that does not heal within four weeks, a rash, bleeding, abnormal discharge, unexplained weight loss, extreme fatigue, and abdominal pain.
More than 90% of men diagnosed early with penile cancer survive at least five years after diagnosis.