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Breast Cancer Not Limited To Women

by Gabrielle Grant

October 30, 2021 484 views
 

The month of October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month but that does not mean that cognizance of its impact in all of society should stop.

For instance, while most people associate breast cancer with women, men can also be diagnosed. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), about one out of every 100 breast cancers diagnosed in the United States is found in a man. They are diagnosed with the same types of breast cancer as women: invasive ductal, invasive lobular carcinoma, and ductal carcinoma in situ.

  • Invasive ductal carcinoma - cancer cells begin in the ducts and then grow outside the ducts into other parts of the breast tissue
  • Invasive lobular carcinoma - cancer cells begin in the lobules and then spread from the lobules to the breast tissues that are close by
  • Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) - a breast disease that may lead to invasive breast cancer.

The CDC provides comprehensive information on incidences of breast cancer in men, from symptoms to treatment options.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of breast cancer in men are lumps or swelling in the breast, redness or flaky skin in the breast, irritation of the breast skin, discharge from the nipple and/or pain in the nipple area.

These symptoms can happen with other conditions that are not cancer. If you have any symptoms or changes, it is best to seek medical attention.

Risk Factors

There are various factors that can increase a man’s chances of contracting breast cancer. Having any or a combination of these risk factors does not mean you will get breast cancer. Some risk factors are:

  • Age
  • Genes
  • Family history
  • Radiation therapy treatment
  • Hormone therapy treatment
  • Injury to, swelling in, or surgery to remove the testicles can increase breast cancer risk
  • Liver disease
  • Obesity

Reduce Your Risk

It is important to know your family medical history. If several members of your family have been diagnosed with breast or ovarian cancer, share this information with your doctor. Your doctor may refer you for genetic counseling. In men, mutations in genes can increase the risk of breast cancer, high-grade prostate cancer, and pancreatic cancer.

All men can lower their risk by maintaining a healthy weight and exercising regularly. Cancer Treatment Treatment for breast cancer in men depends on the size of the tumor and how far it has spread to other areas. Treatments may include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy, and targeted therapy.

Surgery

Surgery is the most common treatment for men with breast cancer. About 98 percent of male breast cancer patients undergo a mastectomy-surgical removal of the breast.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is treatment with cancer-killing drugs given intravenously or by mouth. The drugs travel through the bloodstream to reach cancer cells in most parts of the body.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy is treatment with high-energy rays or particles that destroy cancer cells. The most common type of radiation therapy for men with breast cancer is external beam radiation. A machine focuses the radiation on the area affected by the cancer.

Hormone Therapy

Hormone therapy is sometimes referred to as endocrine therapy and is a way to treat cancer by using hormones or drugs that affect hormones. The same kind of hormonal therapies that work in women also work in men. Some men have reported symptoms such as loss of sexual drive, trouble having an erection, weight gain, hot flashes, and mood swings.

Targeted Therapy

Targeted therapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses drugs or other substances to precisely identify and attack certain types of cancer cells. Several targeted drugs have been approved for use in treating breast cancer, although using these drugs in men is often based largely on how well they work in women.

For more information on breast cancer in men, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at CDC.gov.

 
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Gabrielle Grant
I am a native of Birmingham, Alabama. I am a Southern GIrl and I wouldn't change that if I could. I love everything Southern.....good food, good music, and sports!!!
 

 

 

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