There will be 1,970 cases of breast cancer in men diagnosed this year in the US and 390 men will die. Breast cancer is 100 times less likely to occur in men and their lifetime risk of getting the disease is 1 in 1,000.  

In the past, it was thought that breast cancer in men was deadlier. It turns out that the real problem is that men are generally diagnosed later, and so may appear to have poorer survival rates than women. The reasons for late diagnoses are many, such as the belief that the disease is only a factor for women, therefore men often don’t do self-exams. Many think that men do not have breast tissue. Most physicians will not include a breast exam in a man’s physical check-up. On top of all this, mammogram machinery is not really designed for male breasts.

Some of the common risk factors for male breast cancer are: Aging – the average age a man is diagnosed with the disease is 68. Family history is another risk factor. If other men or women in a man’s immediate family have had breast cancer, he is at a greater risk. The BRCA2 gene will cause about 1 in 10 cases of breast cancer in men. Excess estrogen in men with Klinefelter syndrome, a congenital condition, can lead to benign or malignant breast growth. Drinking alcohol to excess can raise the risk for men, as can liver disease, radiation exposure and even obesity.

To remain health, men should do self-exams and be sure not ignore any lump they may find. They should discuss the issue with their doctor to guard against the very real possibility of breast cancer in men.    

(Courtesy of AOMID)