Men and Breast Cancer -- Huh?
Submitted by SharpHealth Team on Monday 11th October 2010- Symptoms and warnings signs.
- The role of family history.
- Resources for men.
According to the The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, 194,000 people were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001, and 1,500 of those cases were found in men. That’s right — guys.
While breast cancer is commonly thought of as a female-oriented disease, men are not immune.
"I think it's important that men are aware that this can affect them," says Wendy Potts, C.H.E.S., Helpline manager for The Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. "Those statistics might be small as compared to the numbers for women, but if 1,500 men are diagnosed with breast cancer, that means at least 1,500 families, plus friends and coworkers, are rocked by this cancer. That can have a significant impact on people."
Want the 411? Read on for the SharpHealth info:
Male Breast Cancer Awareness
Breast cancer in men is rare, but it does happen. After all, men also have breast tissue.
According to Breastdoctor.com, some aspects of male breast cancer are controversial. It is unclear whether men and women share the same risk factors in the development of breast cancer or whether both genders benefit from the same treatments. Some studies indicate that male breast cancer is more aggressive than it is in women, because men respond less favorably to treatment. According to the National Cancer Institute, this difference can be explained by the fact that most male breast cancer is diagnosed far later into the disease development.
"Because breast cancer is so much more common in females, men don't realize they can progress to later stages before finding out they have breast cancer," Potts added.
In addition, because the male breast is much smaller than the female breast, it is more likely the disease will spread to the chest wall, reports The Komen Foundation. For this reason, it is important to find the cancer early in order to successfully treat it.
Symptoms of Male Breast Cancer
The most common symptoms of male breast cancer include:
- A lump in the breast.
- A nipple abnormality, such as discharge (usually bloody).
- Nipple inversion.
- Occasional local pain, itching and a pulling sensation.
Which groups of men are prone to developing breast cancer?
- Men with a family history of breast cancer, in either male or female relatives.
- Men whose chest areas have been exposed to radiation treatment.
- Men with genetic conditions such as Klinefelter's syndrome, gynecomastia (an enlargement of the male breast that may be related to Klinefelter's syndrome, chronic diseases such as heart disease or a variety of drugs used to treat chronic diseases) or testicular dysfunction.
- Men who have higher levels of the female hormone estrogen.
- Men who have taken estrogen due to sex change procedures.
Male Breast Cancer Prevention
"Understanding [the risks of male breast cancer] is the first step to battling the disease. If there is a family history, talk about this with your doctor and let him or her know you are concerned. If your doctor doesn't know your family history, he [sic] won't be able to help you. Women who have a family history of breast cancer always bring it up to doctors, but men rarely do because they don't realize it can affect them," explains Potts.
Another precautionary step? Ask your doctor about self-examinations. He or she will teach you how to routinely check for lumps and other irregularities in your breast and chest area, and advise you about which changes merit a phone call or visit.
And if you find a lump or other symptom? Recognize that not all treatment courses are full-blown. Early detection may mean a less traumatic treatment course; not all patients require the full combination of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and/or hormone therapy, depending on stage and diagnosis time.
Resources and Links
Because breast cancer is rare among men, less information and other resources are available to help men with breast cancer. The organizations listed below will help you get the information and support you need:
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
1.800 I'M AWARE
American Cancer Society
1.800.ACS.2345
Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization
1.800.221.2141 or 1.800.986.9505 (Spanish)
Men Against Breast Cancer
The first national non-profit organization dedicated to targeting and mobilizing men to be active participants in the fight to eradicate breast cancer. While the focus of the site is to educate men on how to be effective support partners and provide services to help them cope with the impact of a loved one's breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, it also can be a support group for men who are diagnosed with breast cancer.
This article last updated on Saturday 16th October 2010