 Don't forget - men have breasts, too. This means that, just like women, they can get breast cancer, and they do.
Last year, my 60-year-old father was diagnosed with breast cancer. Fortunately for him and for our family, it was caught at the earliest possible stage and he did not have to undergo chemotherapy, radiation or any other drug therapy. But, like many women diagnosed with this disease, he did have his breast removed.
Like many men and women, my father did not even consider the fact that he could get breast cancer. His mother (my grandmother) fought the disease in her 50's, so he could have assumed he would be at a higher risk, but who really associates breast cancer with men? The majority of the breast cancer organizations seem solely focused on women. Pink is the color associated with the disease. His testing was done at the "Women's Center." Luckily, he does not have such an ego to be embarrassed by such things.
There was a symptom which led him to his doctor. His nipple was bleeding occasionally. Again, he knew something was "off," but never imagined it could be breast cancer. He visited his doctor to get it checked out. The doctor did not seem overly concerned, but thankfully sent him for a mammogram just in case.
The results of the mammogram were not at all what we expected - highly suspicious of malignancy. Wow. Everyone was stunned. This led to a biopsy which confirmed breast cancer. Luckily, it was contained and hadn't spread to the other breast or the lymph nodes, but it was there and had to be dealt with. To reduce his chances of ever getting it again (in that breast), my father decided to have his breast removed. The surgery was a success and here we are several months later with the whole experience behind us.
My purpose in sharing our story is to spread the word that it is possible for MEN to get breast cancer.
Between 1600 and 2000 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. This is merely a fraction of the number of women that will be diagnosed with the disease, but when it's your father, brother, son or friend, the ratio no longer matters.
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