Male Breast Cancer
While it is true that breast cancer is mainly associated with women, statistics show that one in every 1000 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lifetime. Breast cancer can happen in men at any age, although it is most commonly diagnosed in men in their sixties and seventies.
The Structure of the Breast
Most men don’t realize what they have breast tissue similar to that of women. Their breasts are just not as developed and there are far fewer milk producing glands, known as lobes.
The breast in both men and women is made up of lobes, ducts, a nipple per breast, and fat cells. The ducts are the passageways for the milk to flow from the lobes to the nipple and out of the body in order for mammals to nourish offspring. The most common form of breast cancer in men affects the ducts and is known as ductal carcinoma. Continue reading
Most men think that breast cancer is only a woman’s disease. This common mistake can be fatal for thousands of men every year. Early detection is key to cancer survival, so here are a few essentials that men need to know about male breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Is Not Just for Women
Many people diagnosed with cancer think, “Why me?” With cancer on the rise all over the world, the better question could be, “Why NOT me?” 1 in every 1,000 men in the US will develop male breast cancer. 1 in 8 women will develop it.
Breast Cancer Has a Genetic Component
Such a high proportion of women getting breast cancer means an increasing number of men who might have a family history of it, and who would therefore be more prone to get it.
Men who have a family history of breast cancer might be carriers of a mutated BRCA gene. This gene normally helps suppress cancerous activity, so a mutated one will not be able to do its job as efficiently. There is now a test available that is easy to conduct and relatively inexpensive. Continue reading
