HPV on Penis and Superficial skin cancer

[needamiracle2011]

I would like to know how long does it take a wart to become superficial skin cancer.  In end of January I had a handjob from an escort and she sucked my head for 20seconds.  I did all the test and they were negative so around three months later I shaved my genital area, which i didn't shave for a month.  I used an old razor and developed flat maybe slightly raised dark brown spots, they appeared a day or two after shaving.  I went to STD clinic and they said they were nothing. Still was worried went to the Dermatologist and they mentioned might be warts.  So they took a biopsy of one and it came back a wart, but more concerning he said it was superficial cancer.  I thought if it caused a wart it would not be cancerous strain.  Also would this be from that encounter a few months back, or did I have this for a long time and now has developed to cancer.  Would a wart develop that quickly and be cancerous?  Also I did have se with the wife since I was told originally it was nothing.  Does this mean she automatically will catch it and have cervical cancer.  Lastly does it spread to other parts of my body or prostate.  Thanks

[needamiracle2011]

I have been with my wife for ver 13 years and my other two sexual relationships where both virgins.  It would make sense it was from her, how else could I get HPV and form cancer

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Your wifes HPV may have been removed or her immune system may ahve taken care of and eliminated the ifnection.  In fact, with most HPV infections, the persons immune system takes care of things, eliminating the infection.

Your Bowen's disease may or may not be related to your wife's lesions years ago.

Either way, there is no reason to abstain from sex, nor to use condoms at this time.  EWH

[needamiracle2011]

Dr. Hook I have a question my wife got back her results from the OBGYN and it said HPV negative and pap smear normal.  She told me about 8 years ago she had a bump removed on cervix or in that area and it came back negative for cancer but positive for HPV.  So how could the result from her latest test say negative.  Is it because they removed it.   Again my diagnosis is s Bowen's Disease and than it also said Bowenoid papulosis.  Also mentioned it was HPV.  My marks or bumps are small and mostly flat at the base of my penis.  He mentioned to use cream for 6 weeks.  Would it be ok to have sex with condom before that or wait six weeks.  My derm zapped the spots he could see.  Thanks

[needamiracle2011]

I just wanted to let you Know it is Bowen's Disease and than it also said Bowenoid papulosis.  Is this rare, if so and If i did catch the HPV from my wife would this mean she has it.  Or that she just has that HPV strain and hers never mutated into cancer.  HPV is a weird disease, from my understanding we both could of had it for a long time and never know.  Heck i had three people look at my spots, IM, STD clinic and Urologist all said it was nothing.  It sounds I unfortunately am one of these rare cases.  Once they remove the cancerous skin and I am going on Aldera for two months I think is it safe to continue unprotected sex with my wife.  Also can she be tested to see if she has it already.  Thanks you and Dr Handsfield have supplied a wealth of information and it is educational and overwhelming.  

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Again, these questions need to be discussed with your dermatologist.  It would be quite unusual for this to be a life threatening illness and I suspect that minor surgery will take care of things.

I see no reason to abstain from sex or masturbation.  You were sexually active before it was noticed and nothing has changed.  Further, if this was HPV related and you do not know that it was, then once the cancer-related changes have taken place, it is not clear that the virus is still transmissible.  

Following your procedure, your doctor will tell you when you can have sex again.  It relates to healing following the procedure more than anything else.  EWH

[needamiracle2011]

Ok Thanks.  So if this was my only source of cheating few months back( only because the wife was looking to leave me still doesn't make it right), and i have been with my wife for 10 years does this mean she was cheating on me.  I know HPV can lay dormant for a long time but over 10 years seems like a long time.  I did catch her cheating but she said it was just talking and kissing.  I assume know it was more than that.  I am 36 is this life threatening or caught it earl since it is just superficial. Lastly going forward I assume sex is out of the question.  If they remove all the spots how long do I need to wait to have sex again.  Will masturbation make things worse.  Thank you

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Again, this should be dciscussed with your dermatologist but biopsies can be typed by the pathologist.  EWH

[needamiracle2011]

It was the same Biopsy.  He said it was a wart, did no know the strain and is superficial skin cancer.  I am just at a loss, because all the info i read mentions if you have a wart than it is not cancerous.  I am going in for a EDC procedure in 3 weeks.  Is there a way to find out what strain I have?  Thanks

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  You have asked a lot of questions which run together.  I'll try to work through them.

HPV can cause skin cancer but there are many other causes of skin cancer as well.  In addition, when skin cancers due to HPV occur, they typically occur years after exposure, not more recently.   Further, shaving of the genital area is well described to both cause and spread certain types of skin infections.  With these statements as background, let me go directly to your questions:

1.  It is not clear to me if the same biopsy showed a wart and the skin cancer.  They would not typically co-exist and as I've already mentioned, it can take years for HPV to go on to become a cancer.  For the HPV types that cause warts to cause skin cancers is very, very unusual but does happen.

2.  This is too soon fore your skin cancer to be due to HPV acquired in the past few months.

3.  It is unlikely that your wife is at high risk.  That said, it is in her best interest to have regular PAP smears to make sure there are no pre-cancerous findings.  The wonderful thing about PAP smears is that they permit early detection of pre-cancerous changes so they can be treated without progression to cancer.

4.  Most skin cancers rarely spread. They are local processes.  In special situations or with certain types of cancers, skin cancers can spread however.  This is something you should discuss with your dermatologist.

I hope these comments are helpful. Skin cancers are typically readily treated and, when detected early, can be managed with a minimum of problems.  I would suggest you discuss the management and follow up plan appropriate for your skin cancer with your dermatologist.  EWH