Men Can Get Breast Cancer, Too

By MONICA CALZOLARI
ONEONTA

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and it is not just women who need this information.
“Male breast cancer makes up less than 1% of all cases of breast cancer,” according to the National Cancer Institute.

So why draw attention to this topic when 99% of breast cancer occurs in women? There are several reasons:

• “Breast cancer in men is often diagnosed at a later stage. Cancer found at a later stage may be less likely to be cured,” states the NCI.
• Since early detection of cancer leads to the best outcomes, breast cancer awareness needs to reach men and women alike.
• Mammograms detect 80 percent of the cases of breast cancer. Men do not get routine mammograms so early detection is less likely. Self-detection is key.
• Having one or more female relatives who have had breast cancer increases the risk factor for male breast cancer.
• “The chances of getting cancer increases as you get older,” NCI says. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2020, 1 in 6 people in the U.S. were 65 or older.
• “Breast cancer may occur in men at any age, but it usually occurs in men between 60 and 70 years of age,” says NCI.

NCI reports the five-year survival rate for breast cancer is 90.8 percent. If the cancer has spread widely, the five-year survival rate drops to just above 30 percent.

The medical profession categorizes cancers in stages. Stage 0 is considered pre-cancerous when the tumor is localized in the lining of a breast duct or lobule.

In Stage 1, the tumor is still localized in the breast but is 20 mm in diameter or smaller. This is the most commonly found stage.

Stage 4 is when the cancer has spread or metastasized to other organs of the body like the brain, the liver, the bones, and the lungs.

Here’s what the NCI research says about male breast cancer.

• A family history of breast cancer can increase a man’s risk of breast cancer.
• Male breast cancer is sometimes caused by inherited gene mutations.
• Men with breast cancer usually have lumps that can be felt.

Men with breast symptoms may undergo a mammogram and ultrasound for further evaluation. 3D mammography gives radiologists detailed, layered views of the breast.

Awareness can save your life or the life of a loved one.