Q: How common is breast cancer in men?

A: Men do get breast cancer, but at much lower numbers than women.

About 2,200 American men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, compared with about 245,000 women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 460 men die from the disease annually, compared to 41,000 women who die.

The risk of a man developing breast cancer is low, but men are more likely to die from breast cancer than their female counterparts, according to a Vanderbilt University study recently published in JAMA Oncology.

Breast cancer isnt just a disease for females, Dr. Xiao-ou Shu, senior author of the Vanderbilt study, told the online publication STAT. Men diagnosed with breast cancer have a worse survival rate, and we dont understand the exact reason for the disparity.

Men, just like women, are encouraged to do self-breast exams. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommends men who are 35 or older and at higher risk for breast cancer have an annual clinical breast exam.

Mathew Knowles, father and former manager of Beyonc and Solange, put male breast cancer in the spotlight by speaking publicly about his diagnosis. A mammogram showed he had stage 1A breast cancer, and he had a mastectomy in July, according to the New York Times.

Testing revealed that Knowles had the BRCA2 gene mutation, an inheritable trait that increases the risk of some cancers.

Knowles found his cancer at an early stage, but most men are diagnosed when the cancer is more advanced, said Dr. Halle Moore, an oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic.

People might have a problem and dont come forward, Moore said. Theres not as much awareness as there could be.

Men with breast cancer often feel isolated and invisible, said Betsy Kohn, chief program officer for The Gathering Place, which offers free programs to help people and families coping with cancer.

When they tell others about their diagnosis, they are often met with disbelief. Doctor offices decorated in pink send a message that men are interlopers in an all-female space.

They dont have a lot of people to talk to, Kohn said. She counsels men with breast cancer to find a support group where they can share feelings, and be willing to ask for help.

Men with breast cancer have similar treatment options as women, including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and hormone therapy. Targeted therapy, which are drugs that target cell changes in tumors, are also an option.

Here is more information about breast cancer in men, from the American Cancer Society.

Risk factors:

Symptoms:

Women have similar breast cancer symptoms.

Resources for more information:

American Cancer Society in Ohio

A Gathering Place

Male Breast Cancer Coalition

HIS Breast Cancer Awareness

If you are a man who has had breast cancer, contact patient advocacy writer Julie Washington for a future story. Include your name and city where you live; your comments may be published.

In her Health Matters column, Washington will answer readers questions about navigating health-care systems. (She will not address individual treatments.) Your comments may be published in a future story. Send questions and comments for publication including your name, city and daytime phone number to jwashington@plaind.com. You can also find Julie on Twitter @JulieEWash.

Link:
Mens risk of breast cancer is low, but mortality is high: Health Matters - cleveland.com

Comments are closed.