Dr. Meenu Walia talks about MALE BREAST CANCER

New Delhi: A larger part of audience knows that October is the breast cancer awareness month, an annual campaign to educate people about breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most prevalent form of cancer. This disease has become a major problem all across the world including India.

On the occasion Oncologist Dr. Meenu Walia, talks about the Male breast cancer.

What is exactly Male Breast Cancer?
Male breast cancer which is not very common in Men is characterized by uncontrolled growth of cells, which results in formation of lumps within the breast. It is one of the treatable forms of cancers. If not detected early, it can be a life threatening disease as it can also spread to other parts of the body.

The various signs of the Male Breast Cancer are – thickening in the breast tissue, lump increasing in size, Skin covering the breast , occurrence of redness on the breast etc

Less than 1 percent of persons with breast cancer are male. After the diagnosis of breast cancer is made, the mortality rates are virtually the same for men and for women. While female breast cancer has received a lot of press attention thanks to its high inci­dence rate and even celebrities falling vic­tim - Hollywood actor Angelina Jolie got a preventive double mastectomy done in 2013 on being diagnosed with a defective BRCA1 gene - little is 'known about Male Breast Cancer still.

As per studies, one in 30 girls born in India may develop breast cancer during her lifetime. But one in 400 men would also contract the vicious disease. While 83 per cent women are likely to be alive five years after early-stage diagnosis, for men it would be only 73 per cent, thanks to scanty breast fat tissue in males allowing the cancer to spread deep very soon.

"What is even lesser known about MBC is that alcohol is one of its risk factors," said Dr Meenu Walia, director of medical oncology at Max Cancer Centre in Patparganj. "A damaged liver is unable to control the level of estrogen (female hormone) in a man's body. This leads to gynaecomastia or enlarged breasts which become cancerous in the long run."

Those suffering from cirrhosis or a liver damaged by other ill­nesses are at an even higher risk.

DIAGNOSIS & TREATMENT- The same techniques that are used to diagnose breast cancer in women are used in men: physical exams, mammography, and biopsies.

The same treatments that are used in treating breast cancer in women surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, biological therapy, and hormone therapy - are also used to treat breast cancer in men.