By: Rebecca K. Abma for Fibroids1For a woman, discovering a breast lump is often a terrifying experience, but a man might not think twice about it. He should. While women are still far more likely than men to develop breast cancer, each year more than 2,000 men are diagnosed with new cases of breast cancer and about 450 men succumb to the disease, according to the American Cancer Society.
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Early detection is the best protection against both male and female breast cancer. If you experience any of the following warning signs, talk to your doctor immediately:
Breast lump, which may be painless and is often not cancerous
Skin dimpling or puckering
New development of nipple retraction or indentation
Redness or scaling of nipple or breast skin
Nipple discharge
To prevent breast cancer, men (and women) can:
Maintain an ideal body weight
Follow a healthy diet
Exercise regularly
Limit alcohol |
Nearly all breast cancers start in the ducts or lobules of the breast. Until puberty, boys’ and girls’ breast are very similar, consisting of a small amount of tissue and a few ducts, which are tiny tubes that carry milk from the milk-producing lobules to the nipple in women. During puberty, female hormones cause breasts to develop further in women, while male hormones prevent any further breast growth. As a result, male breast tissue contains ducts and few, if any, lobules.
Are you at risk?
Although men have less breast tissue than women, their breast cells can still undergo cancerous changes. For every 100 women with breast cancer, one man will be diagnosed. The following factors increase a man’s risk of the disease:
Excessive use of alcohol
Exposure to radiation as a child or young adult
A family history of breast cancer, such as a mother or sister who had the disease
A genetic predisposition to breast cancer, such as abnormalities in BRCA1, BRCA2, CHEK-2 or p53 tumor suppressor genes
Being between the ages of 60 to 70, when the disease is most commonly diagnosed
Exposure to estrogen-containing drugs, such as those used to treat prostate cancer or used during a sex change procedure
Excess weight, which may convert androgens into estrogen
Liver disease, such as cirrhosis, which may increase estrogen activity
Having a chromosomal disorder such as Kleinfelter’s syndrome, which causes abnormal development of the testicles and production of excess estrogen
If you are at an increased risk for breast cancer, talk to your doctor about routine breast cancer screenings, such as breast self-exams and mammograms, as well as genetic testing.
Breast cancer is treated in the same way for both men and women. If you develop breast cancer, learn as much as you can about the different treatment options available and don’t be afraid to seek out a second opinion.
