The most common age for men to get this type of cancer is between the ages of 60 and 70.
Male breast cancer is very rare and only comprises 1% of all cancers of the breast.
According to the American Cancer Society that means last year, 2008, about 1,990 new cases were diagnosed in the United States and will cause 480 deaths.
For female breast cancer around 40,000 women die each year from this terrible disease.
As with females the cause of male breast cancer is not known.
There are some risk factors that appear to increase the chance of men getting this rare cancer.
Some of the risk factors are: oExposure to ionizing radiation.
An example is that men who undergone radiation treatment for another form of cancer and received radiation to the chest area.
oAbnormally high levels of estrogen in their body.
oCirrhosis of the liver.
Liver cirrhosis or scarring compromises the ability of the liver to process toxins out of the body.
This can cause a build up of estrogen levels in men.
oHistory of the BRCA-2 gene in the family.
The man may inherit a mutation of this gene and can have a dramatically higher incidence of male breast cancer.
These men have an increase of 5%-10% chance of developing breast cancer.
The most common form is infiltrating ductal carcinoma.
This cancer is in the ducts of the breast and has spread to the surrounding tissue.
Men may find a lump or mass located below their nipple.
The skin of the nipple may change and become puckered, dimpled, become red and irritated or scaly, may have an inverted nipple, or may have discharge.
If the cancer has spread a man may have pain in his bones, weakness, tiredness and weight loss.
Men do get lumps in their breasts that are not cancerous so all lumps need to be evaluated by your physician.
Most men who are diagnosed undergo surgery as the main treatment and may be followed by chemotherapy, radiation or hormonal therapy.
To help reduce the risk in men, you want to maintain a healthy lifestyle by keeping your weight down and only drink a moderate amount of alcohol.
Early detection is your best bet and you want to see your doctor at the first signs of a lump in your breast, this goes for both men and women.
In all the sources that I researched one common thread that ran through them all was the best prevention of all types of cancer in both men and women was to maintain a healthy diet.
Many sources said that if you eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy it may reduce your risk of developing cancer.
The reasoning behind a better diet and better weight management is that if you eat a good diet, you will not gain as much weight and the excess fat will not store the excess hormones that can cause cancer in breast tissue.
Male breast cancer is very rare and only comprises 1% of all cancers of the breast.
According to the American Cancer Society that means last year, 2008, about 1,990 new cases were diagnosed in the United States and will cause 480 deaths.
For female breast cancer around 40,000 women die each year from this terrible disease.
As with females the cause of male breast cancer is not known.
There are some risk factors that appear to increase the chance of men getting this rare cancer.
Some of the risk factors are: oExposure to ionizing radiation.
An example is that men who undergone radiation treatment for another form of cancer and received radiation to the chest area.
oAbnormally high levels of estrogen in their body.
oCirrhosis of the liver.
Liver cirrhosis or scarring compromises the ability of the liver to process toxins out of the body.
This can cause a build up of estrogen levels in men.
oHistory of the BRCA-2 gene in the family.
The man may inherit a mutation of this gene and can have a dramatically higher incidence of male breast cancer.
These men have an increase of 5%-10% chance of developing breast cancer.
The most common form is infiltrating ductal carcinoma.
This cancer is in the ducts of the breast and has spread to the surrounding tissue.
Men may find a lump or mass located below their nipple.
The skin of the nipple may change and become puckered, dimpled, become red and irritated or scaly, may have an inverted nipple, or may have discharge.
If the cancer has spread a man may have pain in his bones, weakness, tiredness and weight loss.
Men do get lumps in their breasts that are not cancerous so all lumps need to be evaluated by your physician.
Most men who are diagnosed undergo surgery as the main treatment and may be followed by chemotherapy, radiation or hormonal therapy.
To help reduce the risk in men, you want to maintain a healthy lifestyle by keeping your weight down and only drink a moderate amount of alcohol.
Early detection is your best bet and you want to see your doctor at the first signs of a lump in your breast, this goes for both men and women.
In all the sources that I researched one common thread that ran through them all was the best prevention of all types of cancer in both men and women was to maintain a healthy diet.
Many sources said that if you eat a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy it may reduce your risk of developing cancer.
The reasoning behind a better diet and better weight management is that if you eat a good diet, you will not gain as much weight and the excess fat will not store the excess hormones that can cause cancer in breast tissue.
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