HEALTHY LIFESTYLE · SEPTEMBER 2018
Though not as prevalent as in females , men can get breast cancer too .
When children are born , both males and females possess similar breast tissue . Over time , however , breast growth in males slows and the breasts don ' t develop at the same rate or with the same complexity as in females .
High testosterone and low estrogen levels at puberty slow and ultimately stop breast development in males , although some milk ducts continue to exist . They remain undeveloped and contain no lobules . Despite the obvious differences , breast problems can occur in men and , although quite rare , breast cancer can develop .
In the U . S ., less than one percent of all breast cancers have been diagnosed in men , with the lifetime risk of developing breast cancer being about 1 in 1000 . In women , however , the numbers are 1 in 8 in the U . S .
2018 estimates are that some 2,550 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed . Four hundred and eighty of those cases will result in death , with mortality rates that are much lower for men than for women .
Survival rates for men are on par with what they are for women with the same stage of breast cancer at the time of diagnosis . However , men are often diagnosed at a much later stage . That could be because men are less likely to report unusual symptoms and may be more reluctant to seek a doctor ’ s advice , which leads to delays in treatment .
HOW RACE AND ETHNICITY PLAY ROLES IN BREAST CANCER
Breast cancer incidence in men varies by race and ethnicity in the U . S . Black men have the highest breast cancer incidence overall , while Asian / Pacific Islander men have the lowest rate of incidence . The median age of diagnosis is around sixty-eight .
WARNING SIGNS OF BREAST CANCER IN MEN
The most common sign of breast cancer in men is a painless lump or thickening in the breast / chest area . In fact , any change in the breast , including discharge on or around the nipple area , may be a warning sign of breast cancer .
Hard knots , lumps , or thickening in the chest or underarm are other warning signs , along with a change in the size or shape of the breast . Any dimpling , redness , or puckering of the skin could be cause for concern . Inverted nipples may be another important symptom to consult your doctor about . Some of these signs can be easier to detect in men than in women because men have much less breast tissue than women do .
TYPES OF BREAST CANCER FOUND IN MEN
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Invasive ductal carcinomas : cancers that begin in the milk ducts Invasive lobular carcinomas : cancers that begin in the lobules of the breast
RARE BREAST CANCERS IN MEN
In rare cases , men are diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ ( a non-invasive breast cancer ), inflammatory breast cancer , or Paget ' s disease of the breast or of the nipple .
There are also several benign breast conditions that can be found in men but are most common in women . They include gynecomastia ,
By Dr . Carlos Soliz
28 HEALTHY MAGAZINE