Breast cancer occurs mainly in women. More than 200,000 new cases will be diagnosed in women this year and an estimated 40,000 will die from the disease, according to The American Cancer Society.
But men can get breast cancer, too.
Roughly, 2,360 cases will be diagnosed in men in 2014. About 430 men will die from the disease, according to the The American Cancer Society.
“Breast cancer is about 100 times less common among men than among women,” according to the society. “For men, the lifetime risk of getting breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000. The number of breast cancer cases in men relative to the population has been fairly stable over the last 30 years.”
Sacha Dawkins, a nursing instructor at Mississippi University for Women, told The Dispatch this month that for women, being aware of your own body is key to early detection.
The American Cancer Society says the same holds true for men. Though it is easier for men to detect lumps in their breasts because smaller lumps show up earlier, men are less inclined to seek professional opinions.
“Early detection has been a problem for men, who tend to ignore breast lumps and see their doctor only when the lumps have gotten large,” according to the society. “In general, men are diagnosed with breast cancers at more advanced stages than women.”
Some signs and symptoms of breast cancer in men include a painless lump in the breast, skin dimpling, nipple retraction, red of breast skin and discharge from the nipple. If any of these things occur, a doctor’s visit should be scheduled.
Risk factors include aging and a history of breast cancer in families. Also, heavy consumption of alcohol and obesity increases the risk of breast cancer of men, according to research studies.
The American Cancer Society says maintaining an ideal body weight and restricting alcohol consumption are two ways men can reduce their risks.
William Browning was managing editor for The Dispatch until June 2016.
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