Men at risk

8220;Men can too be diagnosed with breast cancer. They have the same types of tissue in their breasts that women do. Only the amount is less. Hence, they have fewer ducts and globules, which are not as developed as in women,8221; says Dr Siddharth Sahni, consultant at the surgical oncology department at the Artemis Health Institute, Gurgaon.

Sahni, who has treated two cases of male breast cancer in India and three outside the country, says the disease might be more aggressive in men than in women. 8220;Although the occurrence is less in males, it does have a tendency to spread faster. In women, the presence of fat acts as a barrier and prevents the tumour from spreading fast. But in men, since the breast tissue is thin, once the cancerous growth infiltrates the muscle, the disease reaches an advanced stage,8221; explains Dr Loreine Kalra, oncologist, Fortis Hospital, Noida.

Men in the age group of 40-60 are more at risk of developing the cancer. Conditions like liver failure, alcohol intake, prior exposure to radiation and obesity make them more prone to the disease. 8220;Exposure to certain drugs and obesity are risk factors. Also, if a man is a carrier of the BRCA gene or has the Klien Selters syndrome, he is highly predisposed to breast cancer,8221; says Dr Sahni.

Is the common problem of sagging chests a sign of the disease? 8220;In men, due to general hormonal changes, there is a slight increase in the breast size. When the growth is bilateral in both breasts, it8217;s called gynaecomazia. But if such a growth is unilateral, it8217;s important that it be immediately checked,8221; says Dr Kalra.

Just as the basic symptoms are much similar in both men and women, the treatment is alike but depends on what stage the cancer is detected at. While mastectomy, which is the surgical removal of the breast, is the treatment of choice, other options are lymph node biopsy, adjuvant therapy, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

8220;The irony is that though the tumor in men is easier to detect than in women, the disease is discovered at a later stage. But it8217;s important that men are made aware of the fact that breast cancer is not confined only to women,8221; says Dr Sahni.