Male Breast Cancer Statistics
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.
A prominent symptom is lump formation, similar to that in females, breast cancer in men. The lump can come with thickness of the breasts and usually without any pains. Men with breast cancer also show the peau d’orange syndrome, a condition in which breasts develop pits or bumps. Other symptoms are fluid discharge from the nipples, redness, and changes in the nipples or skin around the nipples, much like in females.
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.
In situ or non-invasive breast cancer means your cancer is confined to the breasts and has not spread out. A mastectomy in this case almost cures you. You can also have invasive breast cancer, where the cancer cells have spread outside the original site. There are stages of invasive breast cancer, where Stage I is very treatable, and means that your tissues still somewhat have their natural structure and perform natural functions, where as Stage IV means the cancer has metastasized to other organs. Treatment heavily depends on the stage of advancement of your cancer, then.
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.
Leading a healthy life during treatment is quintessential. Abstinence from alcohol and curing weight problems go a long way in both prevention and cure of breast cancer. You will always have family and friends for all the help and support you need, and you should never stop yourself from availing that help. Rest assured, you will lead a perfectly happy life thereafter.
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