Male Breast Cancer

December 9, 2009: That's right I said "Male Breast Cancer." Clearly this may come as a shock to many men and some women to hear that the condition exists. But the American Cancer Society estimated about 1,900 new cases of male breast cancer would be diagnosed in 2008. Additionally, some 480 men were projected die of the disease in the 2008. In comparison, female breast cancer is a much more prominent and common disease with 40,000 dieing of the disease each year. A man's lifetime risk of developing breast cancer is about one in 1,000 with most cases detected between the ages of 60 and 70. Although, the condition can develop at any age. 

Etiology

While causes of male breast cancer as not as well known as causes of female breast cancer, there are some identified risk factors to include radiation exposure, hyperestrogenism (high levels of estrogen), Klinefelter's syndrome, cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver, and  familial predisposition. Therefore, if men are unaware of the condition, it can have the same catastrophic effects due to non-detection.

Genetics

According to MedicineNet.com, "men possess a small amount of nonfunctioning breast tissue (breast tissue that cannot produce milk) that is concentrated in the area directly behind the nipple on the chest wall. Like breast cancer in women, cancer of the male breast is the uncontrolled growth of the cells of this breast tissue. Breast tissue in both young boys and girls consists of tubular structures known as ducts. Male hormones (such as testosterone) secreted by the testes suppress the growth of breast tissue and the development of lobules. The male breast, therefore, is made up of predominantly small, undeveloped ducts and a small amount of fat and connective tissue."

References:

American Cancer Society. www.cancer.org What Is Breast Cancer in Men? http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_1X_What_is_male_breast_cancer_28.asp

MedicineNet.com. Male Breast Cancer. http://www.medicinenet.com/male_breast_cancer/article.htm