Prevention strategies for testicular and penile cancer: an integrative review

Abstract

Testicular and penile cancers are genital disorders that affect a small part of population, but are generally aggressive mainly because of the dramatic psychological effect they impose over patients. The purpose of this study was to identify evidence concerning preventing strategies for the referred types of cancer. An integrative literature review was performed on the COCHRANE, PubMed/MEDLINE, LILACS, BDENF and CINAHL databases using the following controlled descriptors: health promotion, risk factors, primary prevention, and urogenital neoplasms; and uncontrolled descriptors: prevention, penile cancer, testicle cancer. The studies were unanimous in concluding that self-examination of testicles is the best way to identify a possible event of testicular cancer. Circumcision, prevention for sexual transmission diseases and adequate hygiene were the most important manners for penile cancer prevention. Nurses should assume the role for general and specific health promotion, considering the major impact it would have for prevention of diseases, especially for the urogenital cancers studied in this review.