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• Cynthia

  

  • 124 posts
  October 18, 2011 9:21:50 AM WATime

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  This information is taken from Medscape and was written by Marilyn A Roubidoux, MD Male breast cancer is similar to breast cancer in females in its etiology, family history, prognosis, and treatment. In approximately 30% of cases of breast cancer in men, the family history is positive for the disease. A familial form of breast cancer is seen in which both genders are at increased risk for breast cancer. Male breast neoplasms are relatively rare, in contrast to gynecomastia, which is a relatively common condition.^{[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17]}

   

   

  Preferred Examination

   

   

  The clinical examination is key in the evaluation of a palpable mass in a male. If the clinical features strongly suggest gynecomastia, further evaluation may not be necessary. If the clinical features are equivocal, fine-needle aspiration guided by palpation and/or excisional biopsy are necessary to make the diagnosis.

   

   

  Accurate diagnosis with mammography alone has been reported, with a sensitivity and specificity of at least 90%. If clinical examination and mammography both reveal benign findings, a biopsy may be unnecessary. Given the rarity of male breast cancer, mammography screening guidelines are not available for men.^{[18, 19]}

   

   

  Ultrasonography can demonstrate a cyst in a male, but cysts are rare. A mammogram showing only fat can be helpful in cases of unilateral breast enlargement without a mass, but in general, this finding is not concerning for breast cancer and does not require further evaluation of the breast.

   

   

  Although some mammographic findings do suggest male breast cancer (eg, an eccentric spiculated mass), mammography or ultrasonography has not been compared with the predictive value of a clinical breast examination and fine-needle aspiration. Considerable overlap also exists in the ultrasonographic appearance of these entities.^[6]

   

   

  Magnetic resonance imaging has not been studied regarding its sensitivity in making a diagnosis, but since the lesions are always palpable and can be biopsied easily under palpation, there is no clear role for MRI.

   

   

  For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Cancer and Tumors Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education articles Breast Cancer, Breast Lumps and Pain, and Breast Self-Exam.

   

   

   

   

  This post was edited by Cynthia at October 18, 2011 9:21:50 AM WATime"

  the Click Researcher
  

• Cynthia

  

  • 124 posts
  October 24, 2011 12:59:00 PM WATime

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  Taken from Medscape 24 October 2011
  NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Oct 19 - Men get diagnosed with breast cancer at less than 1% the rate of women, according to a new analysis of cancer rates from six cities and countries.
  
  But when they do get breast cancer, men are generally diagnosed with more advanced disease, and were more likely to die from it.
  
  "It's not surprising that men with breast cancer present with later stages," said Dr. Susan Dent, from the Ottawa Hospital Cancer Centre in Canada, who was not involved in the new study.
  
  "That's just because the awareness of the fact that breast cancer can occur in men is not as acute," she told Reuters Health. "Men aren't as likely to think of it, and health care providers aren't as likely to think of men having breast cancer."
  
  Men are most commonly in their 60s or 70s when diagnosed with breast cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute. Radiation exposure and diseases that increase estrogen levels - such as cirrhosis or Klinefelter syndrome - are among factors that raise a man's risk.
  
  Dr. Dent added that screening for the disease should possibly be considered if men have a family history of it, or a predisposition to cancer caused by mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.
  
  Researchers studied data from cancer registries from Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Singapore and Geneva, Switzerland, with cases dating back to 1970. That included about 460,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer and about 2,700 men.
  
  Men were more likely to have disease that had spread beyond the breast by the time they were diagnosed. In treatment, they also had less surgery and radiation compared to women, but similar rates of chemotherapy and hormone therapy.
  
  Over the entire time period, men had a 72% chance of surviving breast cancer in the five years after a diagnosis -- compared to 78% in women.
  
  But researchers led by Dr. Mikael Hartman of the National University of Singapore found that when their cancer was spotted at the same stage and they got recommended treatment, men had a better chance than women of surviving a breast cancer diagnosis.
  
  Dr. Hartman's team also noted October 3 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology that previous studies have shown it typically takes a few months from when men start getting symptoms until they are diagnosed with breast cancer.
  
  "Men who develop a breast lump delay seeing their doctor longer than a comparable woman would with similar symptoms," Dr. Hartman wrote in an email to Reuters Health.
  
  "Male breast cancer is rare but men can develop the disease and should be aware that they should seek care if a breast lump develops," Dr. Hartman added.
  
  SOURCE: http://bit.ly/n3B9oU
  
  J Clin Oncol 2011.

  the Click Researcher