How common is breast cancer in men?
Breast cancer in men is approximately 1% of all breast cancer cases in women. That is, this disease in men is 100 times less common than in women.
Why does breast cancer occur in men?
In men, the mammary gland (mammary gland) is underdeveloped. This is due to the low level of female sex hormones, which are responsible for the development of mammary glands. The volume of breast tissue is very small, but with a certain stimulation the size of these tissues increases. The impact of carcinogens in turn and can lead to the development of cancer.
What predisposes to the development of breast cancer in men?
The main predisposing factor in the development of breast cancer in men is gynecomastia – dyshormonal enlargement of the mammary glands. It is known that 30-70% of cases of breast cancer in men develops against the background of gynecomastia, in particular with its nodular form.
Some researchers point out that breast cancer develops more often among workers in hot shops, in men who, for one reason or another, received radiotherapy on the chest wall for some reason or another. More surely, breast cancer develops with Klinefelter syndrome, among Jews and Negroes.
Does breast cancer occur in men at a young age?
Yes, but it happens very rarely. The average age for breast cancer in men is 64 years.
What are the symptoms of breast cancer in men?
The main symptom of breast cancer in men is the presence of education in the mammary gland. Usually the tumor is located under the nipple, areola or not far from them. Often there are spotting from the nipple. When cancer is started, skin ulceration is noted. When the tumor spreads to the axillary lymph nodes, their increase is noted. They become dense.
How is breast cancer treated in men?
Treatment of breast cancer in men is carried out on the same principles as treatment of this tumor in women. The main approach is a combination of local and systemic (general) methods of treatment. So, surgical (mastectomy) and radiation treatment are used, as local methods, as well as chemotherapeutic and hormonal, as systemic methods of treatment.
What are the results of treatment?
In general, the results of treatment of breast cancer in men are worse than in women. Probably, the fact is that the tumors in the small thoracic gland leave the body faster. Obviously, the fact that men later seek help.