Global Public Articles

Underdeveloped as they may be, men too have breast tissues. This means men are prone to developing breast cancer too, just like females, even though their risk is about a hundred times lesser than females. About 1% of breast cancer cases are those of male breast cancer.

When a man has risk factors for male breast cancer, the breast tissues may start developing cancer cells, and he may get breast cancer. There is no age requisite for male breast cancer to occur, however, men between 60 years to 70 years of age are most vulnerable. Exposure to radiation is a common male breast cancer risk factor. Also, the risk goes high if there is a family history of breast cancer. Men with Klinefelter’s disease and cirrhosis have high risks too. Klinefelter’s is when a man abnormally has two X chromosomes instead of one. Cirrhosis comes with high levels of estrogen, which is a big male breast cancer risk factor. Also, men with weight and alcohol problems are more prone to developing breast cancer.

Mutation of genes is also a risk factor. Mutation in genes like BRCA1 or BRCA2 increases the chance of you developing breast cancer, and such mutations generally occur during your life and have not been passed on through heredity. Otherwise, men have a significantly higher chance of developing breast cancer due to heredity; about thirty out of hundred men do get it in this manner, compared to just 5% to 10% female breast cancer victims.

Men show similar symptoms as women when it comes to breast cancer, like a lump in the breast, the peau d’orange syndrome, where the skin of the breast appears indented, like that of an orange, fluid discharge from nipples, thickness of breasts, change in breast size and skin around the nipples, and the breast skin appearing red.

If you think you have a chance of developing breast cancer, get your breast clinically examined regularly. The best method for diagnosis is always a biopsy. Mammograms, ultrasounds, and examination of your nipple discharge can also be done, to detect lumps and cancer cell presence. If you are diagnosed with the cancer, do get your tissue tested for the presence of female hormones like estrogen and progesterone, since these hormones increase cancer activity, and can be removed by treatments.

If the diagnosed breast cancer has not spread outside the original site, that is, if it is in situ, a mastectomy gives great results. If the cancer is invasive, which means it has metastasized outside the site where the cancer started developing, doctors test it to see how much it has advanced. There are four stages, Stage I being the most curable and more reactive to treatment, and Stage IV meaning the cancer has metastasized beyond the stage where a certain cure is possible. This grading helps doctors determine what kind of treatment is needed for you.

Treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy and hormonal therapy are adopted to control cancer growth in the last stage, when total cure becomes difficult. For all other stages, treating male breast cancer is hardly different from treating female breast cancer.

A healthy lifestyle throughout your life, with minimal alcohol intake increases your chances of survival ten folds. Early detection is also pivotal to high survival rates. Telling your closest friends and family members is necessary. If you try to hide your disease, even from your children, you will take undue stress up on yourself. It is also important to maintain a healthy lifestyle with adequate rest during your treatment, and it is never a shame to ask friends or family for any sort of help or support that you might need. Your cancer is curable.