Male Breast Cancer

1347 Words3 Pages

“The term “breast cancer” refers to a malignant tumor that has developed from cells in the breast” (Breast Cancer,n.d). What society does not realize, is that men have breasts. If men can have abnormal cell growths in the breast, they are except-able to breast cancer as well. Men need to be aware of the prevention, diagnoses, and treatments for male breast cancer.

Society links breast cancer to women, but what about the males in our society? Males have breast tissues,'' Boys' and men's bodies normally do not produce much of the breast stimulating hormones. As a result their breast tissue usually stays flat and small (Breast Cancer,2008). Men usually have mounds of fat breast tissue, but a small percentage can have real breast gland tissue associated from taking certain medications or having an abnormal hormone level (Breast Cancer, 2008). Studies have shown that male breast cancer has increased over 25 years, from 1973-1988 ( American Cancer Society, 2008). As for the year 2005, a total of 1,690 male breast cancer cases were reported ( Breast Cancer, 2008). Male breast cancer is rare, but the diagnoses are rising each year (Giordano,2004).

With diagnoses rising each year, how many males know about breast cancer awareness and survival? Most awareness and survival rates are placed upon the women in society today. According to a population based study, survival rate for males with breast cancer less than 65 years old is 75%. As the male body ages, the survival rate is lowered to around 50% (Giordano,2004). Instead of becoming a statistic for male breast cancer, men need to be aware of the risk factors that lead to breast cancer.

Males aware of the risk factors can omit or protect ...

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... M. ,. (2005). Analgesic efficiency of diclofenac in combination with morphine and paracetamol after mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction. Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica , 49 (9), 1360-1366. Retrieved May 26, 2010, from Academic Search Premier database.

Male breast cancer (2010). Retrieved May 27,2010 from http://www.breastcancer.org.

National Breast Cancer Foundation., (n.d). Early detection Plan., Retrieved May 27,2010 from http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org.

National Cancer Institute, (2007)., Risk Factors for male breast cancer, The Consumers Medical Journal., 2007, Issue 98, p8. Retrieved May 28,2010 from Masterfile Premier Database.

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