Introduction Notwithstanding that male breast cancer is a rare phenomenon, it is still possible. Such cases account for only 1% of all breast cancer. The American Cancer Society forecasts that over 1,000 new cases of breast cancer in men will be diagnosed in 2010 (“Male Breast Cancer”). The survival rate in men is lower than in women, mostly because men often report the symptoms of breast cancer too late (“Male Breast Cancer”).
The disease is more likely to spread, leaving many men with less hope that treatment will lead to recovery. The main reasons of that are first of all the lack of the research in this field that leads to the second reason that is men’s unawareness about the possibility of male breast cancer. The unawareness leads to late discovery and high death rate. Male Breast Cancer According the American Cancer Society, like all cells of the body, men’s breast duct cells can undergo cancerous changes.
Breast cancer is less common in men, because their breast duct cells(lymph systems) located under the nipple and areola (area around the nipple) are less developed than those of women because their breast cells are not constantly exposed to the growth-promoting effects of female hormones (“Male Breast Cancer”). Breast cancer can spread through lymph system. Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped collections of immune system cells connected by lymphatic vessels. Lymphatic vessels are like small veins.
Lymph contains tissue fluid and waste products, as well as immune system cells. Breast cancer cells can enter lymphatic vessels and begin to grow in lymph nodes (“What Is Breast Cancer in men? “). Most lymphatic vessels in the breast connect to lymph nodes under the arm (axillary nodes). Some lymphatic vessels connect to lymph nodes near the breast bone (internal mammary nodes) and either above or below the collarbone (supraclavicular or infraclavicular nodes) (“What Is Breast Cancer in men? “). It’s important to know if the cancer cells have spread to lymph nodes.
If they have, there is a higher chance that the cells could have gotten into the bloodstream and spread (metastasized) to other sites in the body. The more lymph nodes that contain breast cancer, the more likely it is that the cancer may be found in other organs as well. Still, not all men with lymph nodes that contain cancer develop metastases, and in some cases a man can have negative lymph nodes and later develop metastases. Types of male breast cancer Scientists define the following types of male breast cancer: * Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) also known as intraductal carcinoma.
Cancer cells form in the breast ducts but do not invade through the walls of the ducts into the fatty tissue of the breast or spread outside the breast. DCIS accounts for about 1 in 10 cases of breast cancer in men. It is almost always curable with surgery. * Infiltrating (or invasive) lobular carcinoma (ILC) This type of breast cancer starts in the breast lobules (collections of cells that, in women, produce breast milk) and invades the fatty tissue of the breast. ILC is very rare in men, accounting for only about 2% of breast cancers. This is because men do not usually have much lobular tissue.
* Infiltrating (or invasive) ductal carcinoma (IDC) This type of breast cancer breaks through the wall of the duct and invades the fatty tissue of the breast. At this point, it can spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. IDC (alone or mixed with other types of invasive or in situ breast cancer) accounts for at least 8 out of 10 male breast cancers. Because the male breast is much smaller than the female breast, all male breast cancers start relatively close to the nipple, so spread to the nipple is more likely. This is different from Paget disease as described below.
* Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) In LCIS, abnormal cells form in the lobules, but they do not invade into the fatty tissue of the breast or spread outside the breast. Although LCIS is sometimes classified as a type of non-invasive breast cancer, most breast specialists think it is a pre-cancerous condition rather than a true non-invasive cancer. As with invasive lobular carcinoma, LCIS is very rare in men. * Paget disease of the nipple This type of breast cancer starts in the breast ducts and spreads to the nipple. It may also spread to the areola (the dark circle around the nipple).
The skin of the nipple usually appears crusted, scaly, and red, with areas of itching, oozing, burning, or bleeding. Using the fingertips, a lump may be detected within the breast. Paget disease may be associated with DCIS or with infiltrating ductal carcinoma. It accounts for about 1% of female breast cancers and a higher percentage of male breast cancers. The risk factors Known risk factors The Known Risk Factors of male breast cancer are * Aging: Aging is an important risk factor for the development of male breast cancer. Men with breast cancer are usually about 65 years of age at the time of their diagnosis.
* Family history of breast cancer: Breast cancer risk is increased if other members of the family (“blood relatives”) have had breast cancer. About 20% of men with breast cancer have close male or female relatives with the disease. * Klinefelter’s syndrome: This is a congenital (present at birth) condition that affects about 1 out of 850 men. If a male child has two or more X (female) chromosomes, he will have certain physical characteristics and certain medical problems that are called Klinefelter’s syndrome. Men with this condition have longer legs, a higher voice, and a thinner beard than average men do.
Their testicles are smaller than usual and do not produce functioning sperm cells, so the men are infertile. Compared with other men, they have lower levels of androgens (male hormones) and more estrogens (female hormones). For this reason, they often develop gynecomastia (benign male breast growth) and have an increased risk of male breast cancer. * Radiation exposure: A man whose chest area has been exposed to radiation (usually for treatment of a cancer inside the chest such as Hodgkin’s or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma) has an increased risk of developing breast cancer.
* Liver disease: The liver plays an important role in sex hormone metabolism by producing binding proteins, which carry the hormones in the blood. These binding proteins affect the hormones’ activity. Men with severe liver disease such as cirrhosis have relatively low levels of androgen activity and higher estrogen levels. For this reason, they may have an increased risk of developing gynecomastia and breast cancer. * Estrogen treatment: Estrogen-related drugs are sometimes used in hormonal therapy of men with prostate cancer.
This treatment may cause a slight increase in breast cancer risk. However, this risk is small compared with the benefits of this treatment in slowing the growth of prostate cancer. Men taking high doses of estrogens as part of a sex change procedure have a much higher breast cancer risk. Possible Risk Factors There are several risk factors that have been shown to increase breast cancer risk in women and others that have been proposed but not proven as female breast cancer risk factors. Because male breast cancer is so rare, its association with these factors has not been checked.
They are: * Alcohol: Consuming an average of more than two alcoholic drinks daily increases breast cancer risk among women. Although its impact on male breast cancer risk is not known, alcohol is known to increase a man’s risk of oral, laryngeal, and esophageal cancer. * Exercise and weight: Recent studies have shown that physical activity reduces women’s breast cancer risk, and that breast cancer risk is increased by obesity during adult life. The significance of these factors in contributing to male breast cancer is unknown.
However, regular exercise and maintaining a healthy weight reduce the risk of other diseases, and are recommended by the American Cancer Society. * Environmental exposure: Exposure to certain pesticides related to DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) and certain industrial chemicals called PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) has been suggested as a cause of female breast cancer. However, several recent and very thorough studies have found that these chemicals do not affect breast cancer risk among women.
Although their impact on male breast cancer risk has not been studied specifically, there is no evidence to suggest any increased risk. According to the article on the death rate of cancer, “African Americans are more likely to develop and die from cancer than any other racial or ethnic group”, states the report. The death rate for cancer among African American males is about 37% higher than among white males; for African American females, it is about 17% higher (U. S. Cancer Deaths Up in 2005. Miranda Hitti, Web. 03 Dec. 2009).
The rate of surviving There is no way known to prevent a man from getting breast cancer. For now, the best strategies for reducing the number of deaths are early detection and appropriate treatment. Early detection improves the chances that male breast cancer can be treated successfully. The American Cancer Society recommends a yearly cancer-related health checkup for all men and women age 40 and older. Many men’s breast cancers could have been found earlier by their health care professional if they had had regular checkups.
It is important for men to be aware that breast cancer is not limited only to women. If a man notices any breast changes, such as development of a lump or swelling, skin dimpling or puckering, nipple retraction (turning inward), redness or scaling of the nipple or breast skin, or a discharge from the nipple, he should see his health care provider as soon as possible for evaluation (Signs of Male Breast Cancer. ” Thecancerblog. com. Vicki Blankenship, Web. 03 Dec. 2009). . The importance of the research.
Male breast cancer needs further research. Researchers at the University of Sheffield, UK have recently been given a grant of nearly ? 200,000 (about $320,000) to research the effect of drugs on male breast cancer. Their research will shed new light on the disease. “Research into male breast cancer is vital, but not easy given the relatively small number of cases each year”, says Professor Malcolm Reed,Head of Surgical Oncology at the University of Sheffield. Men should be aware of the importance of early detection.
Breast cancer is common among women and rare among men, that is why many women are aware of this disease, while most men do not realize they have even a small risk of being affected. For this reason, some men ignore breast lumps and do not get medical treatment on time. Conclusion The information available for breast cancer in men is limited in comparison to the resources available to women. Notwithstanding that male breast cancer is rare, accounting for 1% of all breast cancer, approximately 480 deaths occur making the death rate 48% in men.
It is estimated that 182,460 new cases in women will occur and over 40,000 of them will die of breast cancer each year, accounting for a death rate of 21% (Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Web. 03 Dec. 2009). As you can see the death rate in men is 27% higher than in women. Lack of awareness about male breast cancer can be fatal – men with breast cancer often do not pay attention to visible lumps and do not apply to the doctor; embarrassment and social stigma can also contribute to later diagnosis. Cancer found at a late stage may be less likely to be effectively treated.
Finding ways to make men more aware of this killer must be a top priority in order to prevent late discovery. Works Cited: “About Male Breast Cancer. ” MedicineNet. com. Melissa Conrad Stoppler, MD, Web. 03 Dec. 2009. “Dickson RB, Lippman ME. Cancer of the breast. In DeVita VT, Hellman S, Rosenberg SA. , eds. Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott-Raven; 1997: 1541-1616. “Male Breast Cancer. ” Cancercenter. com. Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Web. 03 Dec. 2009. “Original KISS Drummer Celebrates Surviving Breast Cancer.
” CNN. com. Madison Park, Web. 03 Dec. 2009. “Scott-Conner CEH, Jochimsen PR, Menck HR and Winchester DJ. An analysis of male and female breast cancer treatment and survival among demographically identical pairs of patients. Surgery 1999;125:775-781 “Signs of Male Breast Cancer. ” Thecancerblog. com. Vicki Blankenship, Web. 03 Dec. 2009. “U. S. Cancer Deaths Up in 2005. ” MedicineNet. com. Miranda Hitti, Web. 03 Dec. 2009. “What Is Breast Cancer in men? ” Cancercenter. org. American Cancer Society, Web. 03 Dec. 2009.