$Unique_ID{BRK02017}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Breast Cancer in Men}
$Subject{breast cancer breasts chest gynecomastia hormone estrogen malignancy
ulceration mammography mammogram radiation chemotherapy mastectomy male men
man}
$Volume{}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1993  Tribune Media Services, Inc.


Breast Cancer in Men


------------------------------------------------------------------------------

QUESTION:  While sitting on a beach, my husband and I noticed a man with large
breast strolling along the sand.  My husband made a wise crack that led to a
discussion of the possibility of breast cancer in men.  Since men are built
different than women (usually), I didn't think that was possible, but my
husband insists that it is.  Can you tell us who is right?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ANSWER:  Large breasts in a man is called "gynecomastia" and may result from
several situations.  They include hormone problems, medications that act like
estrogens, disease of the liver often resulting from chronic alcoholism,
diseases of the kidney, and breast cancer.  So you see it is possible for a
male to develop cancer of the breast.  It arrives at a later age in men than
in women, usually around the age of 60, is often first noticed as a painless
mass in one breast.  Sometimes there are other signs such as a bloody nipple
discharge, or local signs of malignancy such as ulceration of the skin over
the tumor.  Although a family tendency to breast cancer is easy to document in
women, this is harder to discover in males.  Mammography is useful in
diagnosing the cancer, just as it is in women, and the treatment includes
surgical removal of the cancer treatment as well as radiation and
chemotherapy.

----------------

The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.