Dear Men, These Symptoms Mean You Should Get Checked for Breast Cancer

The spot light is always focused on the symptoms and treatments of breast cancer for women, but what about men? Yes, for everyone who doesn't know, men actually get breast cancer. It's true that only 1% of men are subject to breast cancer compared to women, however, the percentage is increasing day after the other.

There are two main reasons why men can get breast cancer. It's either they were exposed to radiations when they were younger or it could be in the family's medical history. Today, we've gathered for you some symptoms that may indicate a possibility of men breast cancer, as well as the treatment methods you need to know of. So here's all what you need to know.

1. Men breast cancer symptoms

- If a man feels an unfamiliar mass/clot near the chest area, he should immediately see a doctor since this is the number one sign of breast cancer.

- Changes that may occur in the shape and size of a man's chest might be an indication that you need to get checked for breast cancer.

- Nipple secretion(s) are also a very popular symptom as well.

- Chest injuries are also something to pay attention to.

- Patches or unusual coloration that may take place around the nipples may indicate the occurrence of the disease.

Men breast cancer types differ, and for each type there is a treatment. However, the most common type among both genders is Invasive ductal carcinoma which usually requires surgery.

2. Breast cancer in men treatment methods

Although the disease is not very common among men, it keeps evolving the same way it does among women. Thus, treatments for both sexes are very similar.

a. Surgery

In order to remove the cancer clot, surgeries require full removal of a man's chest including the inner fibers and the nipples. That's because a man has less fibers in that area than a woman, which is also why mastectomy surgery for male patients is more difficult than that of females.

b. Hormonal therapy

This is when a male breast cancer patient is treated through prescribed drugs and hormones that puts both estrogen (female hormones) and cancerous cells under control.

c. Chemotherapy

This is when chemicals are involved in the treatment to help demolish the cancer cells. This treatment is usually suggested when those cells occur in the lymphatic glands near the underarms or in case the tumor/node spread around the chest.

d. Radiotherapy

This treatment is usually used to prevent the disease from reactivating after a surgery.

Main Image Credits: Instagram @andreeyfelipe