Health and Wellness: Males too fall victim to breast cancer

Indore: Breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer in India and it commonly affects females in our country. However, one per cent of males fall victim to breast cancers.

Sharing statistics and details about male breast cancer, oncologist Dr Digpal Dharkar said, “Male breast cancer is becoming more common because same genes forming breasts are passed to female and male.” He explained that breast cancer cases in males are more painful and severe as compared to females.

“Many people do not realise that men have breast tissue and that they can develop breast cancer,” Dharkar said. He explained that like all cells of the body, a man’s breast duct cells can undergo cancerous changes.

“Breast cancer is less common in men because their breast duct cells are less developed than women’s and because they normally have lower levels of female hormones that affect the growth of breast cells,” Dharkar said. He added that Indore Cancer Foundation has treated 20 patients suffering from male breast cancer.

What is likely causes of male breast cancer?

1. It is largely caused by hormonal imbalances in human body.
2. Genetic transformations also contribute to a large number of male breast cancers as same genes are passed on to male and females.

Risk Factors

* Obesity

* High red meat diet

* Increased body mass often contributes to male breast cancer

* Exposure to estrogen

* Family history of breast cancer.

How is male breast cancer treated?

It is treated on similar lines as female breast cancer. We treat the cancer with surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.

Surgery for male breast cancer is important and it should be done as early as possible. The risk factors increase in males because they do not have adipose tissue in chest.

Adipose is basically a fat tissue. Since, men do not have it in chest, cancer spreads faster locally to other organs in chest and ribs.

Symptoms

* Itching from nipple

* Bleeding from nipple

* Painless lump increasing in size

* Inconsistency in liver function

* Hormonal imbalances

Diagnosis

* Needle aspiration

* Biopsy

* Eventually molecular markers are required

Studies

“Studies show that genetic transformations such as BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 genetic mutation and presence of high risk genes dispose men to breast cancer. Therefore, based on the research study, if more than two females in the family tree have suffered from breast cancer than men in the direct family should be undergo genetic tests and even consulates if required,” Dharkar shared.