generally But we think that breast cancer is a disease that only affects women, but this is not true. Like other cancers, breast cancer can also occur in men and women. However, it is quite rare in men 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 a cancer research institute in India. A total of 1,752 patients were included in this study between January 2005 and December 2014. According to the study, there were only 18 cases of male breast cancer among 1,752 patients. The average age of these patients was 60 years.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), breast cancer in men is a very rare disease. Only 0.5 to 1% of total breast cancer cases are recorded. But it is nevertheless very important to have information on this subject.
Today in Sehatnama we will talk about male breast cancer. You will also learn that-
Why does breast cancer appear in men? What are its symptoms? How to prevent male breast cancer?
What is male breast cancer? In male breast cancer, cancer cells begin to grow in men’s breast tissue. These cells develop when breast tissue cells grow out of control. Generally, breast cancer only occurs in men after the age of 50.
How many types of male breast cancer are there? Just like female breast cancer, there are many types of male breast cancer. Understand it with the pointers below-
Invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC): This is the most common breast cancer. This cancer starts in the breast ducts 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 the lobules of the breast, that is to say the mammary glands, then attacks the surrounding tissues.
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): This is an early stage of breast cancer. In this condition, cancer cells remain confined to the breast ducts and do not attack surrounding tissues.
Apart from this, inflammatory breast cancer can also be one of the rare types of male breast cancer.
What are the symptoms of breast cancer in men?
The symptoms of breast cancer in men are almost similar to those of breast cancer in women. Understand its symptoms from the graph below.
What are the causes of breast cancer in men? Male breast cancer mainly occurs due to poor lifestyle and genetic reasons. Lumps form in the breast when healthy cells turn into cancer cells. Unlike healthy cells, cancer cells grow quickly.
Who are most at risk for male breast cancer? Breast cancer in men mainly occurs after the age of 50. However, some people are more at risk. Understand it with the pointers below-
People in whose family someone has already had breast cancer. People who drink too much alcohol and have high estrogen hormone levels.
How to detect breast cancer in men? To diagnose it, doctors collect information about symptoms, family history of breast cancer and other risk factors. After that, some tests are carried out. Understand it with the pointers below-
Breast examination: Through this, the doctor checks the breast tissue, skin changes, lumps 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, doctors can also perform ultrasound scans. Ultrasound uses sound waves to take pictures of breast tissue.
Biopsy: Doctors perform a biopsy to detect cancer cells in the breast tissue. To do this, they take tissue from the tumor and send it to the laboratory for analysis. Through these tests, information about the cancer and its current condition is obtained.
How is breast cancer in men treated? Oncologist Dr Samit Purohit explains that the treatment of breast cancer in men is similar to that of breast cancer in women. Male breast cancer can be completely cured if prompt treatment is received. In what ways is it treated? Understand it with the pointers below-
Surgery: Surgery is the most common treatment for early-stage breast cancer. This involves surgery to remove the entire breast (mastectomy) and surgery to remove only the tumor (lumpectomy).
Radiation therapy: X-rays or other energy sources are used to kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy is usually done after surgery (lumpectomy) to kill any remaining cancer cells.
Chemotherapy: Drugs are used to kill cancer cells and stop the tumor from growing. Chemotherapy treatment can last several weeks or months. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy may be available depending on the stage of the cancer and the type of surgery.
Hormone therapy: Doctors use hormone therapy to reduce estrogen levels or block their effects. If cancer cells use hormones like estrogen for growth, then they are treated by this means.
Targeted therapy: This involves “targeting” or interfering with the growth process of cancer cells. Targeted therapy only works on specific types of cancer cells. Doctors treat male breast cancer with one of these therapies, depending on the pathology.
What to do to avoid the risk of breast cancer in men? Dr. Samit Purohit explains that with a little caution and awareness, male breast cancer can be prevented. Understand this from the graph below-
Breast cancer is more dangerous in men than in women
Male breast cancer is more dangerous than female breast cancer because it is detected at a very late stage in men. Men are often not screened for this. In such a situation, if it is detected at a late stage, its treatment also becomes difficult. According to the American Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the mortality rate of men with breast cancer is 19% higher than that of women.
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