Breast Cancer in Men

Statistics Regarding Men and Breast Cancer

Breast cancer in men is rare—less than 1 percent of all breast carcinomas occur in men. Consider the latest statistics available from the American Cancer Society (ACS):

The ACS estimates that in 2009, approximately 1,910 new cases of invasive breast cancer were diagnosed among men in the United States. Breast cancer is about 100 times more common among women. The average age at diagnosis is 67, although men of all ages can be affected with the disease.

Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Breast Cancer

If you've been recently diagnosed with breast cancer, you probably have many thoughts running through your head and you may feel unable to think clearly. Your doctor will understand this. You should feel free to ask questions about any concerns you may have. Be sure to take a pen and pad with you, as you probably won't remember all the answers. If the doctor uses words you don't understand, ask for an explanation.

Introduction

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women. It will account for an estimated 26 percent of all cancer diagnosed in women in 2010, according to the American Cancer Society. Over the course of a woman's life, she has a 1 in 8 chance of getting the disease. It is also possible for men to develop breast cancer, although this is rare.

What Is Breast Cancer?

If you've received a diagnosis of cancer in one or both of your breasts, you should know that you are not alone. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women, according to the American Cancer Society, which estimates about 207,090 cases of invasive breast cancer and 39,840 deaths from breast cancer in 2010. Over the course of a woman's life, she has a 1 in 8 chance of getting the disease. Breast cancer in men is rare, with an estimated 1,910 cases diagnosed in 2010. 

What Causes Breast Cancer?

The exact causes of breast cancer are not known. Some women are at higher risk for breast cancer than others. But the fact is all women are at risk. That's why it is so important to follow recommendations for breast health. Early detection of problems provides the greatest possibility for successful treatment.

The risk factors associated with developing invasive breast cancer include:

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer?

In the early stages of breast cancer, you may not experience any obvious or painful symptoms. When you do experience symptoms, they will vary based on the size and location of the cancer in your breast.

The following are the most common symptoms of breast cancer. However, each individual may experience symptoms differently. As the cancer grows, it can cause changes that women and men should watch for, such as:

Overview of Tests for Breast Cancer

Screening tests that you may be given to determine if you have breast cancer may include one or more of the following:

• Mammography -A mammogram is an x-ray of your breast used to diagnose unusual changes, such as a lump, pain, nipple thickening or discharge, or a change in breast size or shape.

How Is Breast Cancer Diagnosed?

The key to detecting cancer in your breast is obtaining a breast cancer screening test (often a mammogram) from your doctor or health care provider. Screening will help detect the presence of lumps (usually with no cancer) before cancer forms.

Mammography

What is mammography (mammogram)?

Mammography is an x-ray examination of the breast. It is used to detect and diagnose breast disease in women who have breast problems, such as a lump, pain, or nipple discharge, as well as for women who have no breast complaints. The procedure allows detection of breast cancers, benign tumors, and cysts before they can be detected by palpation (touch).

Breast Biopsy

A breast biopsy removes a sample of breast tissue that is looked at under a microscope to check for breast cancer. A breast biopsy is usually done to check a lump found during a breast examination or a suspicious area found on a mammogram, ultrasound, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). See a picture of the female breast.

Biopsy Best to Confirm Breast Cancer Diagnosis

A breast biopsy is the preferred follow-up procedure to confirm a cancer diagnosis, even though several other test options exist and may be offered by physicians, according to a report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

What is fine-needle aspiration?

What is fine-needle aspiration?

Fine-needle aspiration is a method of collecting cells from the breastClick here to see an illustration., liver, mouth, neck, lymph nodes, genitals, respiratory tract, or thyroidClick here to see more information. to look for signs of cancer, infection, or other conditions. A doctor inserts a thin needle into a lump and withdraws a sample of cells or fluid. The material is then examined under a microscope.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the Breast

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Click here to see more information. uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio waves to make pictures of the breast. MRI may show problems in the breast that cannot be seen on a mammogramClick here to see more information., ultrasoundClick here to see more information., or CT scanClick here to see more information..

X-Rays

What are x-rays?

 X-rays use invisible electromagnetic energy beams to produce images of internal tissues, bones, and organs on film. Standard x-rays are performed for many reasons, including diagnosing tumors or bone injuries.

X-rays are made by using external radiation to produce images of the body, its organs, and other internal structures for diagnostic purposes. X-rays pass through body structures onto specially-treated plates (similar to camera film) and a "negative" type picture is made (the more solid a structure is, the whiter it appears on the film).

Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

What is positron emission tomography (PET)?

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a type of nuclear medicine procedure that measures metabolic activity of the cells of body tissues. PET is actually a combination of nuclear medicine and biochemical analysis. Used mostly in patients with brain or heart conditions and cancer, PET helps to visualize the biochemical changes taking place in the body, such as the metabolism (the process by which cells change food into energy after food is digested and absorbed into the blood) of the heart muscle.

Computed Tomography (CT or CAT) Scan

What is a CT or CAT scan?

A CT or CAT scan is a diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a combination of x-rays and computer technology to produce cross-sectional images (often called slices), both horizontally and vertically, of the body. A CT scan shows detailed images of any part of the body, including the bones, muscles, fat, and organs. CT scans are more detailed than standard x-rays. CT scans also minimize exposure to radiation.

What Are the Stages of Breast Cancer?

Stages of cancer relate to how far the cancer has spread in your body. The higher the stage number, the more widespread is the cancer. These stages are important to determine the type of breast cancer treatment you will receive.
As part of determining your stage of cancer, your health care provider may check the lymph nodes in your armpit (called your axillary lymph nodes). If cancer spreads, it usually does so to these nodes first. There are two ways to check these nodes:

Antihormonal Therapy for Breast Cancer

Estrogen is a hormone made by your ovaries and other tissue in your body. It serves many critical functions. These include developing your female sex organs in puberty, preparing your breasts and uterus for pregnancy in adulthood, and maintaining your cardiovascular and bone health. Without estrogen, your body cannot sustain pregnancy and is susceptible to heart disease and osteoporosis (thinning of your bones).

Estrogen can also make some cancers grow. Your breasts, uterus, and other female organs are made of cells that are stimulated to grow when exposed to estrogen. These cells have areas on their surface called estrogen receptors.

Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer

The aim of radiation therapy is to kill cancer cells that could remain and cause your cancer to occur again in your breast, chest wall (muscles and ribs), or axilla (armpit). Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill cancer cells that remain in your breast or surrounding lymph nodes after surgery. It is almost always used if you have breast-conserving surgery because radiation decreases the risk of local cancer recurrence and improves survival.

External beam radiation therapy (EBRT) is radiation therapy usually delivered from a machine outside your body. You typically have a treatment every day for 5 to 6 weeks.

You may also have an additional, concentrated dose of radiation therapy, called a boost, given directly to a smaller area of your breast where the cancer was found.

Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer

Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs to treat cancerous cells. Chemotherapy reaches all parts of the body, not just the cancer cells. Your oncologist will recommend a treatment plan that is individualized for you.

Specific treatment for breast cancer will be based on a variety of factors, including your age, overall health, and medical history; whether you are menstruating; type and stage of cancer; your tolerance for specific medications and procedures; expectations for the course of the disease; and your opinions and preferences.

The oncologist will also determine how long and how often you will have chemotherapy treatments. Chemotherapy can be administered intravenously (in a vein) or by pill, and is usually a combination of drugs. Treatments are often given in cycles: a treatment period, followed by a recovery period, followed by another treatment period.

Chemotherapy may be given in a variety of settings, including your home (if an oral medication), a hospital outpatient facility, a physician's office or clinic, or in a hospital.

What are the different types of chemotherapy drugs used for breast cancer treatment and their potential side effects?

As each person's individual medical profile and diagnosis is different, so is her or his reaction to treatment. Side effects may be severe, mild, or absent. Be sure to discuss with your cancer care team any possible side effects of treatment before the treatment begins. Most side effects disappear once treatment is stopped. The commonly administered drugs for breast cancer are:

Adriamycin^® (doxorubicin) - Doxorubicin is an intravenous medication. Doxorubicin is red in color, and it may turn urine red or orange for several hours following treatment. Women who receive doxorubicin sometimes experience mouth sores, but always have hair loss. This drug is most often given with cyclophosphamide with or without 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). This drug combination is referred to as "AC or FAC." Four to six cycles of treatment over 3 to 6 months are commonly administered for breast cancer.

Cytoxan®, Neosar® (cyclophosphamide) - Cyclophosphamide is an anticancer drug that can be given either intravenously or orally in tablet form. The intravenous drug is clear. Cyclophosphamide can cause irritation of the lining of the urinary bladder and often causes nausea and vomiting. This drug is most often given with doxorubicin. This drug combination is referred to as "AC." Four to six cycles of treatment over 3 to 6 months are commonly administered for breast cancer.

Folex^®, Mexate^®, Amethopterin^® (methotrexate) - Methotrexate is an anticancer drug that is usually given intravenously for women with breast cancer. The drug is yellow in color. Some women who receive methotrexate experience mouth sores following treatment. This drug is most often given with both cyclophosphamide and fluorouracil. This drug combination is referred to as "CMF." Four to six cycles of treatment over 3 to 6 months are commonly given for breast cancer.

Adrucil^®, Carac^®, Efudex^®, Fluoroplex^® (fluorouracil, 5-FU) - Fluorouracil is an anticancer drug that is given intravenously. The intravenous drug is clear. For some women, fluorouracil can cause mouth sores and diarrhea. This drug is most often given with both cyclophosphamide and methotrexate ("CMF") or with AC as FAC. Four to six cycles of treatment with CMF are usually given over 3 to 6 months for breast cancer.

Taxanes - The taxanes are a group of chemotherapy drugs that include Taxotere^® (docetaxel) and Taxol^® (paclitaxel). Taxanes are typically combined with "AC" chemotherapy in the treatment of breast cancer. Treatment with combination chemotherapy that includes a taxane improves cancer-free survival in women with stage II or stage III breast cancer. The taxanes have also been shown to benefit women with node-negative breast cancer. Treatment can be given with AC and Taxotere at the same time ("TAC") or sequentially as in AC followed by treatment with Taxol or Taxotere.