Its Breast cancer month, as some will say it’s the ‘PINK MONTH ’.
As globally known, breast cancer mostly happens in women, but men can get it, too.
Most people do not know this, especially men, both young and old.
Cases of breast cancer in men under 35 is rare compared to men above 40 and is mostly diagnosed by doctors in the later stages of a man’s life.
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), the possibility of a man developing this type of cancer is about 1 in 833.
That means male breast cancer account for less than 1% of all cancer diagnoses worldwide.
Adult men are said to have breast tissue that is equal to that of a young girl before her puberty, but the tissue in adult men do not grow compare to that of the girls which grows later on in her life.
Because the male breast tissue doesn’t grow, it’s harder to feel if there are bumps or lumps in it.
For this reason, male breast cancer victims only find out of their current situation when the cancer has gotten to the stage 3 or 4.
At this time, the disease has already spread to other parts of the body making survival in male lower to women.
Knowing this and how to recognize early signs of it in your system might help in treatment of it at the early stages.
Breast cancer in men can be caused by:
- Close female relative having the disease
- Genetic factors (Klinefelter’s syndrome)
- Environmental factors (exposure of the chest to radiations)
- Health conditions (liver disease (cirrhosis), Diabetes, Obesity, excessive development of the male breast)
- Diseases of the testicles such as mumps orchitis, a testicular injury, or an undescended testicle
- Male Breasts enlargement (called gynecomastia) from drug or hormone treatments.
- Taking estrogen
- Infections
- Poisons
Symptoms of breast cancer in men is similar to that of breast cancer in women. Development of lumps in the breast.
A man can diagnose or test for cancer in his breast by visiting the Dr if he notices changes. The Dr will then carry out physical tests on him.
- Mammogram (X-ray film of the soft tissue of the breast)
- Using ultrasound
- The nipple discharge test
- Biopsy (examining small samples of tissues under a microscope).
Men with the disease can be treated using any of the following:
- Surgery
- Radiation
- Chemotherapy
- Biological therapy
- Hormone therapy
Story filed by Prince Ghalley