Breast Cancer In Men

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Breast Cancer in Men!

Men Supporting I Will Survive• Genetic factors have a role in breast cancer diagnosis that can make up about 11%-20%. The breast cancer gene or BRCA (1 & 2) gene can come from mother or father. Men with the BRCA2 gene have a higher risk. • Richard Roundtree is a famous actor that came out about his diagnosis in 1993 and thought it was a woman’s disease. Other known men who survived and passed away from the disease are Rod Roddy, Edward Brooke, Peter Criss, Montel Williams, and Ernie Green. • Paget disease may be associated with DCIS or with infiltrating ductal carcinoma (type of breast cancer). It accounts for about 1% of female breast cancers and a higher percentage of male breast cancers. • The Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 (WHCRA) mandated that reconstructive breast surgery for women and men who have undergone mastectomy be covered by their benefits for those who have opted to have breast reconstruction. In individuals who have undergone a medically necessary lumpectomy, surgery to create a more normal anatomy is considered reconstructive. • The American Cancer Society estimates for breast cancer in men in the United States for 2017 are: 1. About 2,470 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed 2. About 460 men will die from breast cancer Breast cancer is about 100 times less common among men than among women. For men, the lifetime risk of getting breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000. The number of breast cancer cases in men relative to the population has been fairly stable over the last 30 years. Stay connected for more health education and information about our programs on social media. Like African American women, African American men are hit harder by breast cancer than their white counterparts. After diagnosis, African American men are three times more likely to die from breast cancer than white men. This difference is probably due to the same factors suggested by research involving African American women. • Prevention: Reduce risk factors for men by exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet, increase intake in cancer fighting foods (kale, broccoli, turmeric, etc.), stop or limit alcohol intake, quit or not smoking, and reduce radiation exposure. We can’t prevent genetics or aging, but stay informed with your primary care provider should you see or feel anything abnormal. Genetic testing/counseling may also be available with your insurance. A number of factors can increase a man's risk of getting breast cancer: 1. Growing older: This is the biggest factor. Just as is the case for women, risk increases as age increases. The average age of men diagnosed with breast cancer is about 68. 2. High estrogen levels: Breast cell growth — both normal and abnormal — is stimulated by the presence of estrogen. Men can have high estrogen levels as a result of: a. taking hormonal medicines b. being overweight, which increases the production of estrogen c. having been exposed to estrogens in the environment (such as estrogen and other hormones fed to fatten up beef cattle, or the breakdown products of the pesticide DDT, which can mimic the effects of estrogen in the body) d. being heavy users of alcohol, which can limit the liver's ability to regulate blood estrogen levels e. having liver disease, which usually leads to lower levels of androgens (male hormones) and higher levels of estrogen (female hormones). This increases the risk of developing gynecomastia (breast tissue growth that is non-cancerous) as well as breast cancer. 3. Klinefelter syndrome: Men with Klinefelter syndrome have lower levels of androgens (male hormones) and higher levels of estrogen (female hormones). Therefore, they have a higher risk of developing gynecomastia (breast tissue growth that is non-cancerous) and breast cancer. Klinefelter syndrome is a condition present at birth that affects about 1 in 1,000 men. Normally men have a single X and single Y chromosome. Men with Klinefelter syndrome have more than one X chromosome (sometimes as many as four). Symptoms of Klinefelter syndrome include having longer legs, a higher voice, and a thinner beard than average men; having smaller than normal testicles; and being infertile (unable to produce sperm). 4. A strong family history of breast cancer or genetic mutations: Family history can increase the risk of breast cancer in men — particularly if other men in the family have had breast cancer. The risk is also higher if there is a proven breast cancer gene abnormality in the family. Men who inherit abnormal BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes (BR stands for BReast, and CA stands for CAncer) have an increased risk of male breast cancer. The lifetime risk of developing breast cancer is approximately 1% with the BRCA1 gene mutation and 6% with the BRCA2 gene mutation. Because of this strong association between male breast cancer and an abnormal BRCA2 gene, first-degree relatives (siblings, parents, and children) of a man diagnosed with breast cancer may want to ask their doctors about genetic testing for abnormal breast cancer genes. Still, the majority of male breast cancers happen in men who have no family history of breast cancer and no inherited gene abnormality. 5. Radiation exposure: If a man has been treated with radiation to the chest, such as for lymphoma, he has an increased risk of developing breast cancer. • Research: Men with the highest levels of estrogen in their blood were about 2.5 times more likely to develop breast cancer than men with the lowest estrogen levels. Now an international study has found that men with naturally high levels of estrogen may have a higher-than-average risk of breast cancer. Read the abstract of “Prediagnostic Sex Steroid Hormones in Relation to Male Breast Cancer Risk.” • Symptoms: If you notice any persistent changes to your breasts, you should contact your doctor. Here are some signs to watch for: a lump felt in the breast nipple pain an inverted nipple (common in male breast cancer) nipple discharge (clear or bloody) sores on the nipple and areola (the small ring of color around the center of the nipple) enlarged lymph nodes under the arm • Post-Diagnosis: The Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 (WHCRA) mandated that reconstructive breast surgery for women and men who have undergone mastectomy be covered by their benefits for those who have opted to have breast reconstruction. In individuals who have undergone a medically necessary lumpectomy, surgery to create a more normal anatomy is considered reconstructive. The American Cancer Society estimates for breast cancer in men in the United States for 2017 are: About 2,470 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed About 460 men will die from breast cancer Breast cancer is about 100 times less common among men than among women. For men, the lifetime risk of getting breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000. The number of breast cancer cases in men relative to the population has been fairly stable over the last 30 years. Stay connected for more health education and information about our programs on social media. @IWillSurviveInc

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