Keith Jackson (pictured), 49, filed two suits that claim he lost his penis from rare cancer that was undiagnosed while he was in prison

A former North Carolina inmate has filed two lawsuits that claim he lost his penis due to a rare form of cancer that went undiagnosed while he was in prison.

After Keith Jackson, 49, spent 15 months in multiple prisons, he developed a small and painful lesion on his penis.

During the first three months of his sentence for possessing a gun as a convicted felon, Jackson said he made numerous reports of severe pain when the lesion caused his penis to swell and bleed.

According to the Charlotte Observer, Jackson's medical records from the jails show he had reported having a urinary tract infection numerous times.

Medical staffers at the Onslow and Pender county jails reportedly believed the cause of the lesion was a sexually transmitted disease and prescribed him antibiotics.

And by the time a surgeon operated, it was too late.

Jackson, who is the owner of a small home-framing business, said he now wants the jails, prisons and medical staffers to take responsibility for allegedly allowing the cancer to go undiagnosed.

'Everybody should be accountable for this,' Jackson told the Observer. 'And all I asked for was help.'

According to the newspaper, Jackson has filed one suit against the federal government under the Federal Tort Claims Act.

Medical staffers at the Onslow and Pender county jails reportedly believed the cause of the lesion was a sexually transmitted disease and prescribed him antibiotics. The New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, Onslow (pictured), Pamlico and Pitt county jails denied any wrongdoing

The second lawsuit is against six jails that held him, two health-care providers that served three of the jails, the US Marshals Service and the US Bureau of Prisons.

Jackson said he sought help from the US Marshals and federal prison officials.

He claims they told him it would be checked when he was moved to the federal prison in West Virginia.

It wasn't until he got to West Virginia that a biopsy was done on the lesion about three weeks into his prison sentence.

Several days later, a doctor told him he had cancer. He underwent surgery in December.

According to the Observer, medical records show that a urologist tried to save much of his penis, but when he awoke from surgery he discovered she had removed nearly all of it.

Jackson said he 'cried for three days' after realizing it had been amputated.

According to the Observer, the New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, Onslow, Pamlico and Pitt county jails denied any wrongdoing.

Pender County jail (pictured) confirmed that Jackson jailers observed he was suffering an 'ailment or injury' and reported it to a nurse

Pender County jail confirmed that Jackson jailers observed he was suffering an 'ailment or injury' and reported it to a nurse.

Jackson was arrested in April 2014 when he was charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and warrants related to a theft charge in Alabama and a probation violation in Florida, according to the newspaper.

While still in custody, more charges were brought against Jackson for possessing two rifles and a handgun as a convicted felon.

He was sentenced to three years an 10 months in federal prison.

If the allegations are true, the actions could violate Jackson's federal Eighth Amendment right to be free of cruel and unusual punishment.

State jail regulations require counties to have a written medical plan detailing inmate care, which has to include health screenings for inmates entering the jails, and policies and procedures for routine care, emergency care, dispensation of medications and the 'handling of inmates with chronic illnesses or known communicable diseases or conditions'.