When it comes to breast cancer, many people think that conditioned reflex is a "patent" for women, and even think that it is a gynecological disease. But in fact, breast cancer is definitely not only related to women. A survey shows that the ratio of male to female breast cancer is 1:100 worldwide.
Perhaps this number makes many men breathe a sigh of relief, but in fact it cannot be taken lightly. At the 2014 ASCO meeting, the American Cancer Society announced the number of cancer deaths and incidence rates in the United States in 2014. Breast, lung and colon cancers are the most common among women, with breast cancer having the highest incidence rate at 29 and the second highest mortality rate at 15. The situation in China is not optimistic either. According to data released by the China Cancer Registry Center, the top three malignant tumors in China in 2010 were lung cancer, breast cancer and gastric cancer. Currently, the incidence of female cancer has increased significantly, especially breast and cervical cancer. It is one of the countries with the fastest growing rate of breast cancer in China. In recent years, the incidence of breast cancer has been increasing at a rate of 3% per year and has become the number one killer of urban women.
Although the proportion is relatively wide, it can be inferred from the above data that male breast cancer is enough to attract attention. According to the National Cancer Society, the 5-year survival rate of early-stage breast cancer can reach more than 90%, while the 5-year survival rate of late-stage breast cancer drops to about 15%. If you don't pay attention and lose the best time for treatment, more serious consequences will often occur.
Breast cancer has nothing to do with sex.
Since both men and women have breasts, it is not difficult to understand that breast cancer is not only suffered by women. Although the incidence rate of male breast cancer is significantly lower than that of female breast cancer, the incidence rate of male breast cancer has been on the rise in recent years, and people's awareness of it is not as common as female breast cancer, so it is very easy to affect men's physical and mental health.
Genetic factors are one of the important factors in breast cancer screening. Studies have confirmed that 5 to 10 breast cancer patients are related to inherited genes or gene mutations, namely breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) and breast cancer gene 2 (BRCA2). These two genes are autosomal dominant, which means that if the mother or father is a carrier of the disease gene, the probability of inheriting the gene to both sons and daughters is the same50. Structural or functional abnormalities caused by these genes place carriers at a much higher risk of breast cancer than the general population. Studies have proven that about 70 to 85% of BRCA1/BRCA2 gene mutation carriers will develop breast cancer patients in their lifetime. More than 25 cases of breast cancer in women under 30 are caused by genetic mutations.
Although the pathogenesis of breast cancer is still unclear, it is certain that estrogen is directly related to the onset of breast cancer. Although girls and boys are equally susceptible to genetic attacks, after puberty women have far more estrogen in their bodies than men, and the effects tend to be more severe in women. In other words, when men reach old age, as androgen secretion decreases, the probability of breast cancer will gradually increase. The age of 60-70 is the period of high incidence of male breast cancer.
Male self-examination is more "reliable"
Understanding the role of estrogen changes in the incidence of male breast cancer, it is not difficult to understand some hormone-related diseases, such as testicular hypofunction , congenital inguinal defects, orchiectomy, orchitis, etc., may increase the risk of male breast cancer. In addition, some benign breast diseases, such as a history of breast trauma, nipple discharge, etc., may also be related to the occurrence of male breast cancer.
As mentioned above, it is particularly important to note that genetic factors are also closely related to the incidence of male breast cancer. There are multiple relatives in the family, male or female, with a history of breast cancer, or relatives with bilateral breast cancer, and patients with breast cancer onset younger than 40 years old; many family members with a history of ovarian cancer and bowel cancer may have increased male breast cancer cancer risk.
Doctors' clinical experience shows that some patients will automatically "ignore" male relatives who have suffered from breast cancer, subjectively defining it as "gene mutation" rather than inheritance, and excluding it from the family history. But in fact, this is equivalent to concealing family history in disguise, which is likely to have an adverse impact on treatment.
In addition, the incidence of obesity and breast enlargement in men is much higher than that in normal men.
For those men with gynecomastia, the estrogen hormone that causes excessive breast development can increase their chances of developing breast cancer at a younger age than normal men. Other factors that may cause disease include repeated radiation exposure, long-term high temperature exposure, excessive alcohol consumption, liver disease, etc.
Use hormone-containing health products with caution.
Although there are no studies proving the relationship between estrogen supplements and breast cancer, the impact of excess estrogen on breast disease has been generally recognized. There are many health products on the market today that can help you stay young and extend your life, many of which contain estrogen. Long-term use of these products is likely to cause adverse effects on the body.
Studies on female breast cancer patients have also confirmed that regular use of hormone products may be the reason for the increase in breast cancer. Women who have long-term overdose of estrogen, women who regularly take health supplements containing a high proportion of hormones, and women who take oral contraceptives all year round have a higher risk of breast cancer than ordinary women.
In addition to excessive hormone intake, a high-fat diet may also greatly increase the incidence of breast cancer. Estrogen in women comes primarily from the ovaries, but other tissues in the body, such as fat, muscle, and liver, can produce small amounts of estrogen through a process called aromatization. Excessive intake of high-protein and high-fat foods will also increase estrogen levels and prolong the stimulation of breast epithelium by estrogen, thereby increasing the risk of breast cancer.
In terms of treatment, the treatments for male breast cancer and female breast cancer are basically the same. If early-stage breast cancer is treated promptly, most patients can maintain a good quality of life. Many people think that the treatment of breast cancer is a simple surgery, but this is not the case. Patients with early-stage breast cancer should adopt a comprehensive program that is individualized. For patients whose disease remains limited to local or regional lymph nodes, the preferred treatment is surgery. However, it is very important to use endocrine drugs for adjuvant treatment in a timely manner after surgery to prevent the recurrence of breast cancer.