Treatment for Breast Cancer in Men Differs From Treatment for Women Jody A. Charnow Men with breast cancer receive less postlumpectomy radiation therapy than women, and have lower overall survival. The following article features coverage from the 2017 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois.
Full Answer
How is breast cancer treated in men?
Breast-conserving surgery, an operation to remove the cancer but not the breast itself, is also used for some men with breast cancer. A lumpectomy is done to remove the tumor (lump) and a small amount of normal tissue around it. Radiation therapy is given after surgery to kill any cancer cells that are left.
Why are more men diagnosed with breast cancer than women?
In addition, the study found that a larger percentage of men than women were diagnosed with advanced-stage disease, which the researchers said could be attributed to a lack of awareness of and screening for breast cancer in men.
Is hormone therapy different for men with breast cancer?
“While there are few differences in treatment, there are some additional considerations when using hormone therapy in males with breast cancer.” Also, men usually are not taught to screen themselves for breast cancer and most are unaware of the symptoms of the disease.
What is male breast cancer?
Male breast cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the breast. Breast cancer may occur in men. Breast cancer may occur in men at any age, but it usually occurs in men between 60 and 70 years of age. Male breast cancer makes up less than 1% of all cases of breast cancer.
How do they treat men with breast cancer?
Surgery for men with breast cancer is usually a modified radical mastectomy, surgery to remove the whole breast that has cancer. This may include removal of the nipple, areola (the dark-colored skin around the nipple), and skin over the breast. Most of the lymph nodes under the arm are also removed.
What is the main difference between the male and female breast?
Both males and females have breasts. The structure of the male breast is nearly identical to that of the female breast, except that the male breast tissue lacks the specialized lobules, as there is no physiologic need for milk production by the male breast.
What is the difference between cancer men and women?
The incidence of cancer was about 20% higher in men than in women and the mortality rate was 40% higher in men in the United States from 2009 to 2013 (Siegel et al., 2017). Sex differences influence cancer susceptibility at the genetic/molecular levels.
What is the recommended surgical treatment for male breast cancer?
Surgery is the most common treatment for men with breast cancer. About 98 percent of male breast cancer patients are treated with mastectomy (surgical removal of the breast). Today, most male patients are treated by total mastectomy, in which the breast is removed but the chest wall muscles are spared.
Why do men have nipples?
Men have nipples because embryos are always female in their early stages, and males only differentiate from the female prototype after a few weeks.
Can a man breastfeed?
The answer is yes! Although rare, there are historical records of men breastfeeding their infants, usually when the mother was unable to because of illness or death. One of the earliest mentions comes from the Talmud, which describes a man who nursed his infant after his wife's death during childbirth.
How does gender affect breast cancer?
Simply being a woman is the main risk factor for developing breast cancer. Although women have many more breast cells than men, the main reason they develop more breast cancer is because their breast cells are constantly exposed to the growth-promoting effects of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone.
Which gender does cancer affect the most?
The team found that when they looked at data from cancers that affected both men an women, the difference became even more striking. Men were 60 per cent more likely to get cancer than women, and 70 per cent more likely to die from it. These figures are concerning not only for men, but for their families too.
What causes breast cancer in men?
Causes of breast cancer in men genes and family history – inheriting faulty versions of genes called BRCA1 or BRCA2 increases your risk of breast cancer. conditions that can increase the level of oestrogen in the body – including obesity, Klinefelter syndrome and scarring of the liver (cirrhosis)
Do males get a mastectomy?
Mastectomy – A surgery in which the entire breast is removed, including all of the breast tissue and sometimes other nearby tissues. Most men with breast cancer will undergo a mastectomy since men have a small amount of breast tissue.
How can you prevent male breast cancer?
Since the cause of most breast cancers is not known, there is no known way to prevent them.
Can you survive breast cancer men?
The 5-year survival rate for men with breast cancer is 84%. Individual survival rates depend on different factors, including the stage of the disease when it is first diagnosed. If the cancer is located only in the breast, the 5-year survival rate of men with breast cancer is 97%.
What is the subtype of breast cancer?
Subtype: Breast cancers can be estrogen-receptor-positive or estrogen-receptor-negative, progesterone-receptor-positive or progesterone-receptor-negative, and HER2-positive or HER2-negative. Cancers that are estrogen-receptor-negative, progesterone-receptor-negative, and HER2-negative are called triple-negative.
Why is there no association between breast cancer grade and outcome?
The researchers said that a possible reason for this lack of association between cancer grade and outcome in male breast cancer might be because male breast cancer tends to have different common subtypes than female breast cancer. For example, lobular breast cancers are fairly common in women but rare in men.
Where does breast cancer start?
Breast cancer subtypes also include where in the breast the cancer starts. For example, ductal carcinoma in situ is a non-invasive cancer that starts in the milk ducts and hasn’t spread beyond them. Invasive lobular carcinoma starts in the milk lobules and spreads beyond them.
What is BII in medical terms?
Breast implant illness (BII) is a term that some women and doctors use to refer to a wide range... Metastatic Breast Cancer. Metastatic breast cancer (also called stage IV) is breast cancer that has spread to another part...
What are the characteristics of cancer?
The researchers looked at a number of cancer characteristics, including: Grade: A low-grade cancer has cells that look a little bit different from normal cells and the cells are slow-growing. A high-grade cancer has cells that look very different from normal cells and the cells are growing quickly.
Is breast cancer rare in men?
Breast cancer in men is rare, but it does happen. Less than 1% of all breast cancers occur in men. For men, the lifetime risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000. A study has found that the characteristics of male breast cancer associated with outcomes are different than the characteristics of female breast cancer ...
Is lobular breast cancer more common in women than men?
For example, lobular breast cancers are fairly common in women but rare in men. Triple-negative and HER2-positive breast cancers are more common in women than men. Most male breast cancers are estrogen-receptor-positive. "However, this sub-typing of breast tumors does not seem to result in an optimal risk classification for male breast cancer ...
How common is breast cancer?
Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer affecting females in the United States.
Why does breast cancer affect more females than males?
There are two reasons why breast cancer is more common in females than males.
Breast cancer causes and risk factors
Healthcare professionals do not fully understand the causes of breast cancer. However, there are known risk factors. Some vary between males and females, and some are shared.
Symptoms
The CDC states that people can experience different symptoms of breast cancer depending on the person, and some may not have any symptoms at all.
Diagnosis and treatment
To determine if a person has breast cancer, a doctor will perform an examination and a symptom assessment. After the exam, they may order a mammogram and breast ultrasound.
Prevention
While there is no guaranteed way to avoid getting breast cancer, there are ways a person can reduce their chances of developing the disease.
When to contact a doctor
A person can contact a doctor at any time to learn more about their risk of developing breast cancer and for prevention advice.
How to treat breast cancer with radiation?
Radiation therapy and/or surgery may also be used in certain situations, such as: 1 When the breast tumor is causing an open wound in the breast (or chest) 2 To treat a small number of metastases in a certain area, such as the brain 3 To help prevent bone fractures 4 When an area of cancer spread is pressing on the spinal cord 5 To treat a blood vessel blockage in the liver 6 To relieve pain or other symptoms
What is the treatment for stage IV breast cancer?
Systemic (drug) therapy is the main treatment for stage IV breast cancer in men. Depending on many factors, this may be hormone therapy , chemo , targeted therapy, immunotherapy, or some combination of these treatments. Radiation therapy and/or surgery may also be used in certain situations, such as:
What is the name of the biopsy done on lymph nodes?
The lymph nodes under the arm will be checked for cancer spread, either with an axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) or sentinel node biopsy (SLNB). If the sentinel lymph node contains cancer, a full ALND may be needed, depending on the size of the cancer in the lymph node as well as what other treatment is planned.
What happens if cancer cells have HER2?
If the cancer cells contain hormone receptors (that is, if the cancer is ER-positive or PR-positive) If the cancer cells have large amounts of the HER2 protein (that is, if the cancer is HER2-positive) Your overall health and personal preferences. How fast the cancer is growing (measured by grade or other measures)
What is radiation therapy?
Radiation therapy and/or surgery may also be used in certain situations, such as: When the breast tumor is causing an open wound in the breast (or chest) To treat a small number of metastases in a certain area, such as the brain. To help prevent bone fractures.
How do I get rid of stage 1 breast cancer?
The main treatment for stage I breast cancer is to remove it with surgery. This is usually done by mastectomy, but breast-conserving surgery (BCS) might occasionally be an option. If breast-conserving surgery is done, it is usually followed by radiation therapy.
Can breast cancer spread to lymph nodes?
These cancers tend to be larger than stage I cancers and/or have spread to a few nearby lymph nodes. Systemic (drug) therapy is often recommended for men with stage II breast cancer. Some systemic therapies are given before surgery (neoadjuvant therapy), and others are given after surgery (adjuvant therapy).
What percentage of men have breast cancer?
Male breast cancer makes up less than 1% of all cases of breast cancer. The following types of breast cancer are found in men: Infiltrating ductal carcinoma: Cancer that has spread beyond the cells lining ducts in the breast. This is the most common type of breast cancer in men.
What is the most common type of breast cancer in men?
This is the most common type of breast cancer in men. Ductal carcinoma in situ: Abnormal cells that are found in the lining of a duct; also called intraductal carcinoma. Inflammatory breast cancer: A type of cancer in which the breast looks red and swollen and feels warm.
Why does my breast feel warm?
The redness and warmth occur because the cancer cells block the lymph vessels in the skin.
What are the risk factors for breast cancer in men?
Risk factors for breast cancer in men may include the following: Treatment with radiation therapy to your breast/chest. Having a disease linked to high levels of estrogen in the body, such as cirrhosis ( liver disease) or Klinefelter syndrome (a genetic disorder ).
What percentage of breast cancer is hereditary?
The genes in cells carry the hereditary information that is received from a person’s parents. Hereditary breast cancer makes up about 5% to 10% of all breast cancer. Some mutated genes related to breast cancer, such as BRCA2, are more common in certain ethnic groups.
How old is a male breast cancer patient?
Breast cancer may occur in men. Breast cancer may occur in men at any age, but it usually occurs in men between 60 and 70 years of age. Male breast cancer makes up less than 1% of all cases of breast cancer.
What is the cause of breast cancer?
A family history of breast cancer and other factors can increase a man's risk of breast cancer. Male breast cancer is sometimes caused by inherited gene mutations (changes). Men with breast cancer usually have lumps ...
What is the treatment for early stage breast cancer?
As in women, standard treatment options for men with early-stage breast cancer include the following: Surgery with or without radiation therapy (locoregional therapy). Adjuvant therapy (systemic therapy). Chemotherapy.
How many male breast cancers are estrogen receptor positive?
Approximately 85% of all male breast cancers are estrogen receptor–positive, and 70% of them are progesterone receptor–positive. [ 2, 12] Response to hormone therapy correlates with the presence of these receptors.
How do you know if you have breast cancer?
Signs of breast cancer in men may include the following: A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area. A change in the size or shape of the breast. A dimple or puckering in the skin of the breast. An inverted nipple. Fluid from the nipple, especially if it is bloody.
How many people will die from breast cancer in 2021?
Estimated new cases and deaths from breast cancer (men only) in the United States in 2021: [ 1] New cases: 2,650. Deaths: 530. Male breast cancer is rare. [ 2] . Fewer than 1% of all breast carcinomas occur in men. [ 3, 4] The mean age at diagnosis is between 60 and 70 years; however, males of all ages can be affected with the disease.
What is hormone therapy?
Hormone therapy and/or chemotherapy. Hormonal therapy is used as the initial treatment. Responses are generally similar to those seen in women with breast cancer. [ 2, 11] (Refer to the Metastatic Breast Cancer section in the PDQ summary on Breast Cancer Treatment [Adult] for more information.)
Is metastatic breast cancer rare?
Because male breast cancer is rare, there is a lack of randomized data to support specific treatment modalities.
Is breast cancer male or female?
The pathology of male breast cancer is similar to that of female breast cancer, and infiltrating ductal cancer is the most common tumor type (refer to Table 1 ). [ 13] . Intraductal cancer, inflammatory carcinoma, and Paget disease of the nipple have also been seen in men, but lobular carcinoma in situ has not. [ 13]
How many people died from breast cancer between 2004 and 2014?
To conduct the analysis, Dr. Shu and her colleagues used information from the National Cancer Database to compare death rates for 16,025 men and 1,800,708 women who were diagnosed with breast cancer between 2004 and 2014.
Do men have higher death rates than women?
In the study, men had higher death rates than women across all stages of breast cancer, even after the researchers adjusted for differences in patients’ clinical characteristics, such as the type and stage of disease, treatments received, age, race/ethnicity, and access to care. In addition, the study found that a larger percentage ...
Does the National Cancer Database include information about cancer?
For example, the researchers lacked detailed information about treatment, such as which types of chemotherapy had been used. What’s more, the National Cancer Database does not include information about the cause of death or the recurrence or progression of cancer.
What is the procedure to remove breast cancer?
Surgery to remove breast cancer. There are two main types of surgery to remove breast cancer: Mastectomy – A surgery in which the entire breast is removed, including all of the breast tissue and sometimes other nearby tissues. Most men with breast cancer will undergo a mastectomy since men have a small amount of breast tissue.
What is the procedure to remove a tumor from the breast?
If the tumor is large and growing into the chest muscles, the surgeon must do a radical mastectomy, a more extensive operation removing the entire breast, axillary lymph nodes, and the chest wall muscles under the breast. This is only needed if the cancer has grown into the pectoral muscles under the breast.
How many lymph nodes are removed in an axillary lymph node dissection?
Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) – A procedure in which the surgeon removes many (usually less than 20) lymph nodes from under the arm. ALND is not done as often as it was in the past, but it might still be the best way to look at the lymph nodes in some situations.
How to check for lymph node cancer?
If an underarm lymph node looks large or abnormal by touch or by a test like ultrasound, it may be checked by fine needle aspiration. If cancer is found, a full ALND is recommended and a sentinel node biopsy is not needed. Sentinel lymph node biopsy is a complex technique that requires a great deal of skill.
What is SLNB in surgery?
Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) – A procedure in which the surgeon removes only the lymph node (s) under the arm to which the cancer would likely spread first. Removing only one or a few lymph nodes lowers the risk of side effects from the surgery.
How to find out if breast cancer has spread to axillary lymph nodes?
To find out if the breast cancer has spread to axillary (underarm) lymph nodes, one or more of these lymph nodes may be removed and looked at in the lab. This is an important part of figuring out the stage (extent) of the cancer. Lymph nodes may be removed either as part of the surgery to remove the breast cancer or as a separate operation.
What is the term for a lumpectomy of the pectoral muscles?
This is only needed if the cancer has grown into the pectoral muscles under the breast. Breast-conserving surgery ( BCS) (also called a lumpectomy, quadrantectomy, partial mastectomy , or segmental mastectomy) – A surgery in which only the part of the breast containing the cancer is removed. The goal is to remove the cancer as well as some ...
