Removing 30% of my penis saved my life – this is why I let the surgery be filmed

Removing 30 of my penis saved – Alastair Munro, a 49-year-old construction engineer from Inverness, made a difficult decision when he agreed to have his surgery recorded for a BBC documentary. The procedure, which lasted seven hours, involved the removal of a tumour and a third of his penis. The operation was part of a series titled *Surgeons: At The Edge of Life*, where patients’ medical journeys are captured on camera to highlight rare conditions and treatments. Alastair’s story, filled with moments of vulnerability and determination, aims to educate others about penile cancer, a condition that often goes unnoticed until it becomes critical.

A Lump That Couldn’t Be Ignored

Alastair first noticed the issue six weeks ago, when a small lump on his penis began to grow. Though he delayed seeking medical attention, the situation escalated quickly. His general practitioner, after examining the area, suggested the possibility of cancer. “It was quite a bold thing to say,” Alastair recalled. “I was shocked. He couldn’t say 100% but he thought it was cancer.” A week later, a urologist at Raigmore Hospital confirmed the same diagnosis. The decision to proceed with a biopsy marked the beginning of a serious medical journey.

Three months after the initial concern, Alastair received the final confirmation: it was penile cancer. The condition, which affects only 80 to 90 men annually in Scotland and 700 across the UK, is often overlooked. “I was pretty shocked but had been confident it was cancer,” he shared. “I’d never, ever heard of this kind of cancer before.” Despite the rarity of the disease, the progression was rapid, with a CT scan revealing the cancer had spread to nearby lymph nodes in his groin.

The Surgery That Changed Everything

Alastair’s operation, conducted at Edinburgh’s Western General Hospital, was a complex seven-hour procedure. Consultant Urological Surgeon CJ Shukla, who has been in the field for 14 years, led the effort. The surgery removed the tumour and 30% of his penis, followed by the excision of affected lymph nodes. His penis was then reconstructed using a skin graft from his thigh—a process that required precision and patience. “They can’t actually tell if it’s cancerous until they get inside you,” Alastair explained. “What they actually do is cut away the cancerous nodes and check them straight away. They are basically just digging through you.”

The surgery was followed by a second procedure six weeks later, lasting three-and-a-half hours. Results from the first operation indicated a small amount of tumour remained, prompting the need for further treatment. Alastair’s surgeon emphasized the importance of thoroughness, noting that the process continued until the cancer’s end was identified. “It sounds pretty primitive but that’s what they’re doing,” he added. “It’s quite amazing really.”

Despite the emotional toll, Alastair’s decision to let the surgery be filmed was driven by a desire to help others. “The whole purpose of it is to raise awareness of men’s cancer,” he said. “If there’s one person out there who’s got something wrong with their penis but is too embarrassed to go to the doctor and he watches this programme and says ‘I’d better go to the doctor’, that’s basically the whole purpose of it.”

Aftermath and Future Outlook

Following the procedures, Alastair underwent a month of radiotherapy. By February, he was given the all-clear. However, the journey wasn’t without complications. Lymphedema, a condition characterized by swelling in the skin, has left him unable to urinate properly and has impacted his ability to have sex. “It’s so difficult to spot,” he said. “There are very few symptoms. It could just be a wee spot on your penis.”

Reconstructive plastic surgery is scheduled for about a year from now to address the swelling and improve his quality of life. Alastair remains cautious, as his medical team warns of a high likelihood of recurrence within two years. “They can’t actually tell if it’s cancerous until they get inside you,” he reiterated. “What they actually do is cut away the cancerous nodes and check them straight away. They are basically just digging through you.”

The documentary’s preview left Alastair initially unsettled. “I must admit, I thought it was pretty gruesome to be perfectly honest,” he said. “You see in the programme that I have a major bleed. When I watched it I said ‘well nobody told me about that’.” His surgeon, however, reassured him that such occurrences are routine. “But my surgeon just said it was nothing, that it happens all the time,” Alastair added.

Despite the graphic content, Alastair plans to watch the documentary again once it airs. “I want to thank the surgeons and all the staff at the Western General in Edinburgh and the district nurses,” he said. “The treatment I got was unbelievable. I can’t fault it at all. I can’t thank the NHS enough. Dr Shukla basically saved my life.”

Shukla, who specializes in rare male cancers, highlighted the growing prevalence of the condition. “Scotland has the highest incidents of penile cancer in the UK,” he noted. “The projection is that by 2030 to 2040 it’s just going to go higher and higher so we need to be prepared to look after these patients well.”

Alastair’s experience underscores the importance of early detection. His lump, though not painful, grew over time, eventually prompting a critical intervention. “If anyone finds a lump or is having problems with erection or blood, just get checked out,” he urged. His story, now shared with a wider audience, serves as a reminder that even seemingly minor changes in the body can signal something significant. For Alastair, the decision to let his surgery be filmed was a leap of faith—one that he believes will make a difference for others facing similar challenges.