Male breast cancer is rare cancer that develops in men’s breast tissue. Though breast cancer is more frequently associated with women, men can also set this disease.
Male breast cancer is most frequent in older men, although it can strike anybody at any age. Men who are diagnosed with male breast cancer at an early stage have a decent chance of surviving it. Surgery to remove breast tissue is usually used as treatment. Other therapies, including chemotherapy and radiation therapy, may be suggested depending on your specific condition.
Although males do not have breasts like women, they have some breast tissue. A man’s “breasts” resemble a girl’s before puberty. Men’s tissue does not grow and develop like that of women’s.
Men, however, can acquire breast cancer since they still have breast tissue. Men receive the same forms of breast cancer as women, although malignancies targeting the regions of the body that produce and store milk are uncommon. A man’s lifetime chance of developing breast cancer is around one in 1,000.
Doctors used to believe that breast cancer in males was more severe than in women, but it now appears that it’s about the same. The main issue is that men are generally diagnosed with breast cancer later than women. It might be due to men being less concerned about anything unusual in that region.
Which Men Are Predisposed to Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer in a male under the age of 35 is quite unusual. The likelihood of developing breast cancer increases with age. Most breast cancers in males occur between the ages of 60 and 70.
Other factors that increase the risk of male breast cancer include:
- A close female cousin has breast cancer.
- History of chest radiation exposure
- Breast enlargement (gynecomastia) caused by pharmacological or hormone therapy, certain diseases, or toxins
- Getting estrogen
- Klinefelter’s syndrome is an uncommon genetic disorder.
- Cirrhosis is a severe liver condition.
- Mumps orchitis, a testicular injury, or an undescended testicle are all examples of testicular diseases.
- Obesity
Symptoms
Male breast cancer signs and symptoms may include:
- Breast tissue thickening or a painless lump
- Dimpling, puckering, redness, or scaling of the skin covering your breast
- Redness or scaling on your nipple or a nipple that begins to curve inward
- A discharge from your nipple.
Breast cancer symptoms in men are less compared to those in women. Most male breast cancers are discovered when a guy finds a bump on his chest.
However, males prefer to go to the doctor until they experience more severe symptoms, such as nipple bleeding. Cancer may have spread by then.
Treatment and Diagnosis
Physical examinations, mammography, and biopsies are all used to identify breast cancer in males, just as in women (looking at small tissue samples under a microscope).
Treatments are primarily the same for men and women. Many men benefit from a mix of therapies, including:
Surgery
A mastectomy, where your entire breast is removed, is the standard therapy for males. Breast-conserving surgery, in which the tumor is removed, is performed occasionally. The surgeon may also remove one or more lymph nodes to determine whether cancer has spread.
Radiation treatment
Following surgery, you may be treated with radioactive rays or particles. It can assist in eliminating any cancer cells that surgery did not remove. Radiation therapy may be your primary therapeutic option if your cancer is inoperable.
Chemotherapy
Throughout this therapy, you will be given medications by mouth or injection to assault the cancer cells. Following surgery, you may be given chemotherapy to reduce the likelihood of cancer returning for males with advanced cancer or cancer that has progressed.
Hormone Therapy
Some types of breast cancer need specific hormones to grow. This medication inhibits the action of these hormones, halting tumor development. Because around 90% of men’s malignancies are hormone receptor-positive, it frequently works better in males than in women. Tamoxifen is the most often used hormone treatment for male breast cancer. The removal of the testes can sometimes limit the level of some male hormones in the system. Men with breast cancer should never use testosterone since it promotes the growth of breast cancer cells.
Following surgery, you may be given hormone treatment to reduce the likelihood of the cancer returning. It may be the primary treatment for males with locally advanced or metastatic cancer.
Targeted Therapy
Some males have an overabundance of a protein (HER2) that promotes cancer progression. Trastuzumab (Herceptin) is a medicine licensed to treat breast cancer that has spread to other body parts. It prevents this protein from causing cancer cells to develop. It may help strengthen your immune system, allowing it to battle the disease effectively.
Like everyone else who has recovered from breast cancer, you will need to see your doctor for regular checks for the rest of your life. Getting regular medical attention is essential for maintaining good health.
Make an appointment with your doctor immediately if you feel any persistent symptoms, stated above. Mr. Syed Hashim Raza, Chairman Hashi Group of Companies, deeply cares about this delicate issue and is making all efforts to spread breast cancer awareness in men at every level.
