Can
men also get breast cancer? In most people’s perception, breast cancer seems to be the “patent” of women, but in fact, men can also suffer from breast cancer. Although male breast cancer is very rare, it does exist. The probability of breast cancer in men is about one percent of that in women. There is relatively little male breast tissue, which makes male breast cancer often more difficult to detect in the early stages. The morbidity of male breast cancer is related to many factors. Genetic factors are one of the important aspects. If there are breast cancer patients in the family, especially men in the immediate family, the risk of breast cancer in other male relatives will increase. For example, some gene mutations, such as BRCA2 gene mutations, play a role in the development of male breast cancer. Men with this gene mutation may have a significantly higher risk of breast cancer. Changes in hormone levels may also contribute to the development of male breast cancer. Men also have a small amount of estrogen in their bodies, and when estrogen levels are too high or the ratio of androgens to estrogen is out of balance, it may increase the risk of breast cancer. Some diseases or drugs may lead to changes in hormone levels in men, such as liver disease, endocrine diseases and long-term use of certain hormone drugs. Age is also a risk factor. As men get older, their risk of breast cancer increases. In general, men over the age of 60 have a relatively high risk of breast cancer. The symptoms of breast cancer in men have some similarities to breast cancer in women. The most common symptom is a painless lump in the breast, which is usually hard, ill-defined and poorly mobile. In addition, there may be nipple inversion, nipple discharge, breast skin changes and other symptoms. If men find that they have these symptoms, they should seek medical treatment in time and have a detailed examination. Because male breast cancer is rare, many men lack awareness of it, and often go to see a doctor when the disease develops to a more serious stage, which brings some difficulties to the treatment. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential for the prognosis of male breast cancer. If early detection and standardized treatment can be carried out, the treatment effect of male breast cancer is similar to that of female breast cancer. The treatment of male breast cancer mainly includes surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, endocrine therapy and so on. Surgery is usually performed to remove the breast mass and surrounding tissue, and axillary lymph node dissection may be required depending on the patient’s condition. Radiotherapy can be used as adjuvant therapy after surgery to reduce the risk of recurrence. Chemotherapy and endocrine therapy are selected according to the specific situation of the tumor. In order to reduce the risk of breast cancer in men, men should also pay attention to their breast health. At ordinary times, self-examination can be carried out to feel whether there are lumps or abnormal changes in the breast. At the same time, it is also important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, such as reasonable diet, moderate exercise, avoiding obesity, smoking cessation and alcohol restriction. If there is a family history or other risk factors, regular breast examinations should be performed to detect and treat the disease early. In short, although men have a lower risk of breast cancer, they are not completely free of it. Men should also pay attention to breast health, raise awareness of male breast cancer, timely detection and treatment of the disease, in order to improve the treatment effect and quality of life.
Breast cancer
