To start off, yes there is such a thing as male breast cancer. You are just hearing more about the female cases as women are a hundred times more likely to develop the disease. In the male arena, breast cancer is more common in older men especially those between the ages of 60 and 70. However, even if age is a risk factor, there are still younger men who develop the disease. If this should come as a source of comfort, you should know that male breast cancer is very rare.
The problem with the female association
Many people believe that women alone get breast cancer. Because of this, men are generally not as watchful as women. Women are often taught about how to check for lumps in their breasts. Men do not think about doing such a thing. Because of breast cancer’s association with the female gender, the precious few men who may develop the cancer only find out that they have the disease when it is already at an advanced stage.
Comparing the male breast to the female’s
The breast is made up of lobules, stroma and ducts. In the female breast, the lobules actually produce milk and the ducts transport the milk out of the nipple. Stroma is composed of the blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, fatty tissues and connective tissues. The men also have the mentioned breast parts but they do not produce milk. As children, both male and female have about the same breasts. However, puberty happens. At this point, women begin producing hormones that make the ducts grow bigger and lobules to grow at the end of them. The stroma also increases in volume. Men’s breasts have ducts and very few lobules, if there are any. Male hormones prevent stroma from growing bigger. Because men also have ducts, they are also prone to breast cancer. However, they are not exposed to female hormones as women are. So, the ducts do not get as big as those of women’s breasts. This decreases the possibility of breast cancer in men. Still, the possibility remains. An increase in female hormones, for example, can lead to breast cancer.
Risk factors
In relation to the comparison between the male and female breasts, the female hormones seem to contribute in the development of breast cancer. So, men who have higher estrogen levels are more prone to the cancer. There are diseases that cause a rise in the estrogen levels in men. Klinefelter’s Syndrome provides a man with two X chromosomes instead of just one. Instead of a normal XY, a man with Klinefelter’s Syndrome has an XXY chromosome combination. Radiation therapies for diseases, such as Hodgkin’s Lymphoma can also cause a rise in estrogen levels. Cirrhosis, the condition itself, causes such a rise. Another risk factor for breast cancer is age. Men between the ages of 60 to 70 are more likely to get the disease. This may be due to a decrease in male hormones.
Symptoms
Male breast cancer is most obviously observed through a small and painless lump below the nipple. This lump can eventually become reddish, dimpled and scaled. The first time the lump is observed, it could be about 2.5 centimeters in diameter. Later on, the nipple retracts instead of pointing outward. When things get worse, you may see a bloody or creamy discharge coming from the nipple. Then, general cancer symptoms will become more apparent. These symptoms include overall feeling of weakness and malaise. You may also lose weight because of breast cancer.
Treatment
Generally, the treatments given to male breast cancer patients are just about the same as the treatments given to female breast cancer patients. These can include chemotherapy, which aims to kill the cancer cells. Hormone treatment is also very much recommended. Men usually develop the disease because of some fluctuations in their hormones. Instead of having a low number of female hormones, they experience a fatal rise that unfortunately causes breast cancer. Surgery may also be an option in cases when hormonal treatments will no longer suffice. As for more alternative approaches to handling breast cancer patients, emotional support is recommended. The cancer patient must almost always have a positive outlook. Proper nutrition and exposure to sunlight may also be advised by both an alternative doctor and an oncologist.
So you see, men are not exempted from breast cancer. While it may be strange for a man to keep on checking for lumps, maybe it is time to do such a self-examination, especially if you have risk factors for breast cancer. Women may have a hundred times more risk of getting breast cancer but they are also better aware of the possibility. Their gynaecologists could already be examining their breasts regularly. It is time for men to do the same. After all, early detection can have a great impact on recovery and treatment.