It is generally believed that breast cancer occurs only in women, but this is not true. Like other cancers, breast cancer can affect both men and women. However, it is rarely seen in men as compared to women.
According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, a study was conducted on breast cancer patients for 10 years at the Cancer Research Institute in India. A total of 1752 patients were included in the study between January 2005 and December 2014. According to the study, there were only 18 cases of male breast cancer among 1752 patients. The average age of these patients was 60 years.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), breast cancer is a very rare disease in men. Only 0.5-1% of all breast cancer cases are reported. But still it is very important to have information about this.
So today Health waterIn we will talk about breast cancer in men. You will also learn that-
- Why does breast cancer occur in men?
- What are its symptoms?
- How can male breast cancer be prevented?
What is male breast cancer? In male breast cancer, cancer cells begin to grow in the male's breast tissue. These cells develop when the cells in the breast tissues grow uncontrollably. Breast cancer usually occurs in men after the age of 50.
How many types of male breast cancer are there? Like female breast cancer, there are many types of male breast cancer. Understand it with the following indicators-
Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC): This is the most common breast cancer. This cancer starts in the ducts of the breast and attacks the tissues around the breast. It can also spread to other surrounding tissues.
Lobular breast cancer: This is the second most common type of breast cancer. It is also called invasive lobular carcinoma or (ILC). It develops in breast lobules i.e. breast glands and then invades the surrounding tissues.
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): This is the early stage of breast cancer. In this condition, the cancer cells remain confined to the ducts of the breast and do not invade the surrounding tissues.
In addition, inflammatory breast cancer can also be one of the rarer types of male breast cancer.
What are the symptoms of male breast cancer? Symptoms of male breast cancer are almost the same as those of female breast cancer. Understand its features from the following graphic-
What causes male breast cancer? Mel's breast cancer is mostly caused by poor lifestyle and genetics. Breast tumors form when healthy cells turn into cancer cells. Unlike healthy cells, cancer cells grow rapidly.
Who is most at risk of male breast cancer? Breast cancer in men mostly occurs after the age of 50. However, the risk is higher in some people. Understand it with the following indicators-
- Whose family member has breast cancer before?
- People who are prone to obesity
- People who drink a lot of alcohol
- Whose lifestyle is very bad
- In whose body the level of estrogen hormone is high
How can male breast cancer be detected? To diagnose it, doctors take information about symptoms, family history of breast cancer and other risk factors. After this some tests are done. Understand it with the following indicators-
Breast Examination: Through this, the doctor checks for breast tissues, skin changes, tumors or other abnormalities.
Imaging Tests: Most male breast cancers can be detected with a mammogram. A mammogram is a low-dose x-ray that takes pictures of breast tissue. Apart from this, the doctor can also do ultrasound. Ultrasound uses ultra sound waves to take pictures of breast tissues.
Biopsy: Doctors perform biopsies to look for cancer cells in breast tissues. For this they remove tissue from the tumor and send it to a lab for testing. Through this test, information is obtained about the cancer and its current status.
How is male breast cancer treated? Oncologist Dr. Samit Purohit explains that the treatment of male breast cancer is similar to that of female breast cancer. Male breast cancer can be completely cured if treated on time. How is it treated? Understand it with following pointers-
Surgery: Surgery is the most common treatment for early stage breast cancer. For this, surgery to remove the entire breast (mastectomy) and surgery to remove only the lump (lumpectomy) are performed.
Radiation therapy: In this, X-rays or other energy sources are used to kill cancer cells. Radiation is usually given after surgery (lumpectomy) to kill any remaining cancer cells.
Chemotherapy: This involves the use of drugs to kill cancer cells and stop the tumor from growing. Chemo treatment can last several weeks or months. Depending on the stage of the cancer and the type of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be available.
Hormone therapy: Doctors use hormone therapy to reduce estrogen levels or stop their effects. If cancer cells use hormones like estrogen to grow, they are treated with it.
Targeted therapy: These include 'targeting' or interfering with the growth process of cancer cells. Targeted therapy works only on specific types of cancer cells. Doctors treat male breast cancer with any of these therapies depending on the condition.
What to do to avoid the risk of male breast cancer? Dr. Samit Purohit explains that with a little caution and awareness, men can avoid breast cancer. Understand this from the following graphic-
Breast cancer is more dangerous in men than in women Male breast cancer is more dangerous than female breast cancer because it occurs in very advanced stages in men. Often men do not undergo any screening for this. In such a situation, if it is found in the late stage, its treatment also becomes difficult. According to the American Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the mortality rate of male breast cancer patients is 19% higher than that of females.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
