– by Pirunrat Nathchayanonth (Yori), Client Coordinator
October is the Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we mostly associate this with women, but did you know that men can get breast cancer too?
“About 1 out of every 100 breast cancers diagnosed in the United States is found in a man.” – CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/men/index.htm#:~:text=Although%20it%20is%20rare%2C%20men,is%20found%20in%20a%20man.)
Similar to how heart attack is more fatal in ladies, breast cancer is more fatal to men. The most common male breast cancer is one that called Gynecomastia:
“Gynecomastia is a condition of overdevelopment or enlargement of the breast tissue in men or boys. The breasts become larger. They may grow unevenly. Gynecomastia often happens when a preteen or teenage boy is going through the hormonal changes of puberty.” – John Hopkins Medicine (https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/gynecomastia)
If it’s rare, what causes it? Like most illnesses, obesity and family history are common factors.
If you suspect that you may be at risk or having breast cancer, some signsand symptoms of male breast cancer to look out for are
• A painless lump or thickening in your breast tissue
• Changes to the skin covering your breast, such as dimpling, puckering, redness or scaling
• Changes to your nipple, such as redness or scaling, or a nipple that begins to turn inward
• Discharge from your nipple
A regular health screening or a genetic screening can help you detect at a very early stage, so that you can plan your treatment accordingly. If you don’t know where to start, contact us and we’ll point you in the right direction!
Reference
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer-in-men/about/what-is-breast-cancer-in-men.html
https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/types/breast-male/types
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer-in-men/causes-risks-prevention/risk-factors.html
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/male-breast-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20374740