Mammography and Sonography Findings in Men with Breast Cancer.

Most people consider breast cancer to be strictly a feminine concern. However, although they account for only 1% of the diagnosed breast cancer cases each year, breast cancer in men does exist. In the most recent figures available, for 2005, 1,764 men were diagnosed with the disease and 375 died as a result.

Diagnosing male breast cancer can be challenging, especially given the stigma that affected men may feel will accompany such a diagnosis. But a study conducted by scientists at the University of Texas MD Cancer Center in Houston, Texas traditional mammography and sonography techniques are effective in diagnosing men with breast cancer.

Imaging taken of 57 male patients were analyzed by the study “The findings show that breast cancer in men most commonly presents itself as a mass with an irregular shape and spiculated (spiky or pointy) margins that may or may not have calcifications. Many men in the study, 47%, also had cancer which had spread to the armpit,” said Wei Tse Yang, MD, who was the lead author of the study published in the December issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

According to Dr Yang almost 100% of men who develop breast cancer have a lump that they can feel, much the same as women with the disease. And just as women who notice a new lump or mass occurs in their breast he encourages that men who discover such a thing should consult with their physician as soon as possible. Mammography and sonography are key to aiding primary care physicians with making a quick and accurate diagnosis. They allow for full interrogation of the involved breast and allow for screening of the opposite breast,”says the doctor.

Why some men should develop breast cancer is unclear. Doctors do know however that 1 in 6 male breast cancer sufferers have a relative, including females, who have been diagnosed with the disease. This is in comparison to the 5 - 10% of inherited breast cancers in women. Some doctors also feel that chest radiation therapy as a child may also be a risk factor for men.

However such men may face far more difficulty in obtaining the treatment that they need than female patients do. Many family practitioners themselves are not aware of the fact that male breast cancer does indeed exist and may not be looking for such a thing. Add to that the fact that breast cancer is considered by most people to be female disease and the fact is that early detection is far less common in the case of male breast cancer. Dr Yang and his team hope that the publication of their study will raise awareness both in the medical community and with men in general.