Breast Cancer in Men

Men getting breast cancer is considered rare. They compose less than 1 percent of all the breast cancer occurrences such that in the year 2005 when 211,400 women were reported to have been diagnosed with breast cancer in the US alone, approximately 1,600 men were diagnosed with it.

Contrary to what many people believe, men are also susceptible to the disease. Like women, men have breast tissues. But girls produce hormones in their systems that stimulate the growths of breasts into full busts. While generally men do not produce the same hormones that trigger the growth of their breasts; hence, they have flat and small ones compared to the women’s. But of course, there are still other men who have big breasts and these may be due to some hormonal imbalance or some medicines that some men take. Otherwise, the breasts that you see in men are just mounds of fats.

The rarity of the disease occurring in men makes it a difficult condition to research and study about. Compared to the women suffering from the disease, men having the condition are just quite small. Nevertheless, with all the occurrences group together, experts and professionals on the field were still able to put together some information about the disease.

There are some signs to watch for that will indicate the possibility of you having the disease. Persistent changes to the breasts should not be taken for granted or not minded at all. Contacting one’s doctor is first and foremost when you notice any of the following signs:

* a lump in one’s breast
* pain in the nipple
* sores in the nipple and around the areola
* clear or bloody discharge from the nipple
* and enlarged lymph nodes

Take note though that an enlargement of both breasts is normally not cancer. This condition is known as gynecomastia. One should not be alarmed when one’s breast become too enlarged especially when one is under medication as some medicines may have the said side effect. Other non-cancer-related enlargements can also be caused by alcohol abuse, marijuana use, and weight gain.

As with any disease, an early diagnosis could mean a life-saving difference. For male breast cancer, it has been reported that the average time between seeing the symptoms and diagnosis is nineteen months, which is a very long time. This is just an indication that men probably don’t mind seeing the signs until things get worsen. It is significantly advised that at the first symptom’s appearance, one must immediately go and consult a doctor.

After being diagnosed with the disease, men with breast cancer will most likely be advised to get some form of treatment. And treatment of the disease varies for every case depending on some factors which may include the results of the laboratory tests, the stage or phase at which the cancer is at, and the size and location of the tumor. The following are some of the treatment options provided for a man diagnosed with breast cancer:

* surgery
* lymph node surgery
* hormonal therapy
* radiation therapy
* chemotherapy
* targeted therapy