Male Breast Cancer: Understanding Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment

This report provides a comprehensive overview of male breast cancer, a condition affecting approximately 1% of total cancer cases in the United States. It begins by defining male breast cancer and highlights its increasing prevalence. The report delves into the various risk factors associated with the disease, including genetic mutations like BRCA 1/2, exposure to radiation, and lifestyle factors such as obesity and alcohol consumption. It then outlines the common symptoms of male breast cancer, such as painless lumps, nipple retraction, and discharge. The report further explores different diagnostic methods, including mammography and biopsy, and discusses various treatment options, including surgery, chemotherapy, and estrogen hormone therapy. It emphasizes the importance of early detection through self-examination and regular check-ups. The report concludes by highlighting the importance of a healthy lifestyle and stresses that male breast cancer is a rare but significant health concern.

Running head: MALE BREAST CANCER
MALE BREAST CANCER
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1MALE BREAST CANCER
Breast cancer is considered as the most prevalent type of cancer among women that
occurs due to uncontrolled growth of cells. Breast cancer development is very occasional in
case of men and account for approximately 1% of total cases in United States (U.S). The
prevalence rate of breast cancer among men has amplified from 1 in 100,000 men in 1975-
1979 to 1.3 in 100,000 men in 2010-2014 (Cancer.org, 2019). Breast cancer initiates hen the
breast cells grow uncontrollably and lead to tumor formation that can be detected using X-
Ray or the individual can detect the presence of lump. Men are considered to be treated with
advanced stage of breast cancer due to delayed detection using screening mammography, as
this detection process is not recommended for men. The occurrence rate of male breast cancer
rises with age among men like female.
There are various risk factors, which lead to the condition of male breast cancer that
includes continuous exposure to radiation, mutation of BRCA 1/2 gene, testicular disorder,
diabetes, klinefelter syndrome, obesity and family history of ovarian cancer (Silvestri et al.,
2016). It is assumed that one-third of the breast cancer cases result due to behavioural factors,
which are modifiable in nature and includes physical inactivity or alcohol consumption. The
symptoms of male breast cancer includes lump appearance in the breast that is painless. The
most prevalent indication of male breast cancer is nipple retraction, discharge of fluid from
the nipple and ulceration. Other associated symptoms of male breast cancer includes bone
pain, swelling of lymph gland and breast pain (Cancer.org, 2019).
There are different treatment options available for treating the condition of male
breast cancer that includes surgery, chemotherapy and estrogen hormone therapy. Surgery is
considered as the most significant treatment for treating the condition of breast cancer that
involves operation procedure termed as improved radical mastectomy. Chemotherapy
prevention technique is usually given to the patent post-surgery that will inhibit the
generation of cancerous cells. Chemotherapy is usually given when hormone therapy fails to

2MALE BREAST CANCER
prevent the condition of male breast cancer (Ferzoco & Ruddy, 2016). Estrogen hormone
therapy is used as the alternative treatment method for preventing the condition of breast
cancer as in few cancer cases, different receptors of estrogen are present surrounding the
cancerous cell wall. There are two medication included under the hormone therapy that
includes tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors. There are different diagnosis available for
detecting the presence of male breast cancer that includes biopsy, mammography, self-
examination that comprise of lump detection and ultrasound (Gucalp et al., 2019).
Early recognition of breast cancer will help the patient to reduce the condition of
cancer as the patient can regularly check the presence of lump and accordingly report to the
doctor fir any prevention or treatment procedure. Leading a healthy lifestyle is suggested by
the doctors to decrease the condition if breast cancer. Thus, it can be concluded that male
breast cancer is considered as one of the rare condition that affects the health and well-being
of men affecting 1% of the total U.S population.

3MALE BREAST CANCER
References
Cancer.org. (2019). Breast Cancer. Retrieved from
https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/
breast-cancer-facts-and-figures/breast-cancer-facts-and-figures-2017-2018.pdf
Cancer.org. (2019). What Is Breast Cancer in Men? | Male Breast Cancer. Retrieved from
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer-in-men/about/what-is-breast-cancer-in-
men.html
Ferzoco, R. M., & Ruddy, K. J. (2016). The epidemiology of male breast cancer. Current
oncology reports, 18(1), 1.
Gucalp, A., Traina, T. A., Eisner, J. R., Parker, J. S., Selitsky, S. R., Park, B. H., ... &
Cardoso, F. (2019). Male breast cancer: a disease distinct from female breast cancer.
Breast cancer research and treatment, 173(1), 37-48.
Silvestri, V., Barrowdale, D., Mulligan, A. M., Neuhausen, S. L., Fox, S., Karlan, B. Y., ... &
Carter, N. J. (2016). Male breast cancer in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers:
pathology data from the Consortium of Investigators of Modifiers of BRCA1/2.
Breast Cancer Research, 18(1), 15.