Overcoming stereotypes—and breast cancer

[The Patriot]

Overcoming stereotypes—and breast cancer

10-20-2010 04:32 AM

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Wed, 2010-10-20 12:30


Overcoming stereotypes—and breast cancer


Stephanie McKemy


Overcoming stereotypes—and breast cancer

Men diagnosed with breast cancer are literally one in a thousand. And men diagnosed at an early stage have a good chance for a cure. Still, these men put off seeing a doctor if they notice unusual signs, such as a breast lump. For this reason, breast cancer in males is often diagnosed when the disease is more advanced. October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, dedicated to increasing awareness of the importance of early breast cancer detection in both women and men. The message that men can get breast cancer is often lost in a sea of pink ribbons. But it still happens and men die from it. Thanks to greater awareness and better treatments, the survival rates for both men and women are on the rise.

"Guys don't even like to think they have breasts. They have 'pecs,' not breasts," said Michael Samuelson. "But there's a real danger for men with breast cancer in that embarrassment kills. Men are so macho and stubborn that there's a higher incidence of mortality among men with breast cancer, even though it's rarer than with women. All of a sudden there's a golf ball growing in their chest, and they're at a pretty elevated stage, and their mortality figures advance with it as well," said the cancer survivor.

Ask yourself, do you have a family history of breast cancer—male or female? Ask your doctor if you should have a mammogram if you are concerned about anything unusual in your breast tissue. Become familiar with known risk factors. Radiation exposure, exposures to female hormones and genetic factors have shown to increase the risk. For more information on male breast cancer, visit The American Cancer Society’s web site.

Source: American Cancer Society www.cancer.org






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