October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Men get breast cancer too

The 10th month of each year, October is dedicated to awareness and campaigning for support for breast cancer. Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer affecting women in Nigeria followed by cervical cancer, while prostrate cancer is the most diagnosed in Nigerian men. (GLO 42011 69262 89493)

Via Cleveland Clinic

However, diagnoses and cases of breast cancer have been found in men. So, yes, men get breast cancer too and here are some helpful information.

1. Male breast cancer is rare and accounts for only 1% of all breast cancer cases.
2. Men get breast cancer because they have breast tissues (small amount) even if they don’t have big breasts like women.
3. Older men are likely to get breast cancer than younger men (say men under 35 years of age)
4. Male breast cancer is very dangerous because it is often diagnosed later than breast cancer in women; this may be due to the fact that men are less likely to be suspicious of something strange in that body part and also because the small amount of breast tissue is harder to feel in men, thereby early diagnose difficult. Late diagnosis can make tumors spread to tissues in other parts of the body.
5. Symptoms of breast cancer in men is the same with women’s but most male breast cancers are diagnosed when a hard lump is detected underneath the nipple and areola.
6. Other symptoms are:

• Lump or swelling, which is usually (but not always) painless.
• Skin dimpling or puckering.
• Nipple retraction (turning inward)
• Redness or scaling of the nipple or breast skin.
• Discharge from the nipple.

7. Treatment of Male Breast Cancer is the same as Women breast cancer i.e surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, biological therapy, and hormone therapy.  The one major difference is that men with breast cancer respond much better to hormone therapy than women do because  About 77% of male breast cancers have hormone receptors, meaning that hormone therapy can work in most men to treat the cancer.

Via Twitter

Early detection is key and we should always do self examination and tests (clinical) to ensure that our body is functioning properly. Our post here self breast examination will guide you on how to check for cancer signs.

This link has some more facts about cancer in Nigeria, check it out!

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Sources: Nationalbreastcacer.org // standuptocancernigeria.org // cancer.org