Male Breast Cancer - Do You Know How To Check For It?

[Barber-Eile]

Hi all,

Everyone has been great on here supporting Sue and raising breast cancer awareness (like by raising money through this massive PIF: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=173650 , not to mention all the pink avatars popping up)

However I am noticing quite frequently that people, with the best of intentions, are saying things like "please help and think of your wives, mothers and daughters" etc.
I wanted to post this thread to raise awareness that breast cancer is not a disease that targets just females. Though much, much less common, breast cancer happens to men also, and because of the lack of knowledge about this and how to perform the proper checks for it, the cancer more often than not goes undiagnosed for a long time until it is in a much more serious stage.

I would love if all the guys on here would take the time to read this link about how to quickly and easily check for male breast cancer.
http://breastcancer.about.com/od/types/tp/male_bse.htm

Just like women, men should check regularly and if you notice anything unusual or any changes please get it checked out.

I don't mean to sound preachy and the mods can please edit if I am, or if this is too much, but cancer affects so many people and so many on here have had someone they know affect by it. Breast cancer, if caught in the early stages is one of the most treatable kinds so why not check?

If you read this post I urge you to please check, and check regularly.

 

[DamnFineBob]

Yes, and guys should be getting checked for prostate cancer as well... though you might not want to do a self-exam. (Actually, there's a blood test for that now, if you're squeamish about getting checked the... ahem... old fashioned way).

 

[perry]

I met a guy this week that said he had a mastectomy earlier this year.. It does happen!

 

[demaro]

I never knew it exhisted until recently. Peter Criss from rock group Kiss is a one year survivor.

 

[Wendy]

Men have it a lot more than you think. It may only be about 2% of all breast cancer cases but that is still plenty of people diagnosed often. Breast cancer itself is about 1 on 6 for smokers and 1 in 8 for non-smokers. Two percent of those are men. One additional piece of info is that the percentage of deaths in men verses women is real high because men tend to ignore the signs.

 

[kadett]

The reality is that for both men and women the discovery of any lump on the body should be cause to go to the doctor and insist on removal and biopsy. It may be nothing or it may be something, ignorance is not an option even if you actually feel fine! I am always amazed by how often people ignore things like this.

Other tests you should ask your doctor for during the annual checkup are:

PSA Test annually
Fecal Occult Blood Test annually
Colonoscopy every 5 years or less if you are in a risk group


Plus, of course, requisite lifestyle alterations, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol and red meat consumption.

 

[jansob]

And lest any man say it's not manly to be worried about this stuff (as one idiot friend of mine does)...drop the macho and treat your body as well as you'd treat your guns, cars, golf clubs or any other equipment; check for problems before they get serious.

 

[Duamuteffe]

Make sure you check right up to your collarbone and in your armpits, too- my doctor is fanatical about that, having had several patients, male and female, with lumps that started near, but not on the breasts.

 

[taffy]

Yep, its something along with prostate cancer that should be made more aware to all males.

 

[arghblech]

Yep, its something along with prostate cancer that should be made more aware to all males.

Brown ribbons for everyone!