HEALTH

LET’S TALK ABOUT BREAST CANCER IN MEN

By

Vannesa Y Moosa vannesach@gmail. com

October was Breast Cancer Awareness Month, an annual international health campaign organised by major breast cancer charities all around the world to increase awareness of the disease. The campaign also aims to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure and offers information and support to those affected by the disease. Every year, BCAM starts on October 1 and ends on October 31, and is symbolised by the pink ribbon.

About 1-3 out of every 100 breast cancers is diagnosed in men

Breast cancer arises when abnormal cells grow out of control to form a cancer that usually manifests as a lump. It’s the most common cancer worldwide in women and the second most common overall. Though the rate of this disease is highest in western countries than it is in the Middle East and Africa, it is rising rapidly in the latter as well as other countries. An article published a year ago described breast cancer as one Zimbabwe’s new ‘twin evils’ (alongside cervical cancer), causing around 1,000 deaths per year: https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/breast-cervi-

cal-cancer-zimbabwe-s-new-twin-evils/1621993 Usually, when we hear about breast cancer, we think of it as a disease that only affects women. Indeed, breast cancer is mostly found in women, but men can get it too. Although it is rare, about 1-3 out of every 100 breast cancers cases diagnosed are found in men.

However, the outlook is not as good as it is in women. This may be related to the fact that as awareness of the condition in men is poor, it may take longer to diagnose. Often a significant delay in diagnosis gives time for the cancer to spread to other parts of the body making it incurable. Research also suggests that the disease

may be more biologically aggressive in men. However, the types of breast cancer found in men are the same as those found in women.

What are the symptoms?

The most common symptoms of breast cancer in men are:

* Lump or swelling in the breast * Redness, flakiness, irritation or dimpling of the skin over the breast * Nipple discharge * Pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area

Although these symptoms can happen with other illnesses that are not cancer, they always have to be checked out by a doctor.

What causes breast cancer in men?

Like most cancers, the exact cause is not clear, but there are risk factors that increase the chances of getting it. Having these risk factors does not mean you will definitely get breast cancer though. Here are the most common:

* Age - most cases are found in men over the age of 50 * Family history - the chances of getting cancer increase if several close relatives also have the disease * Genes - a faulty gene may increase the risk of breast cancer. The most commonly affected genes are BRCA1 and BRCA2. Only about 5% of breast cancer cases are related to these genes and not everyone with a faulty gene will get breast cancer * Obesity - this increases the risk in both men and women and for other cancers too

How is breast cancer in men treated?

The same as it is in women. When diagnosed at an early stage it can often be treated successfully with surgery. You may have heard of a mastectomy when the whole breast is removed or a lumpectomy when just the lump is removed (only if it is below a certain size). Sometimes further treatment is needed after surgery such as hormone therapy – you may have heard of the hormone drug tamoxifen, radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. One or any combination of these three treatments can be used depending on how high the risk of the cancer coming back is. The idea is to mop up any cancer cells that may be left behind after surgery. Treatment is more difficult if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body. The most common sites of spread are to the lymph nodes, lungs, bone and liver Unfortunately, many cases are diagnosed after the cancer has already started to spread. Chemotherapy is the treatment of choice though hormonal therapy and radiotherapy can also be used depending on the type of breast cancer, where the spread is and what the patient’s symptoms are. Sometimes surgery may even be used if spread is very limited. However, when the cancer has spread, cure is not possible.

How can I reduce my risk of getting cancer?

The most effective way of doing this is to:

* Drink alcohol in moderation or not at all * Stop smoking * Maintain a healthy weight with a balanced diet and regular excercise

Raising breast cancer awareness for men is especially important as it remains a difficult cancer to treat. Although not as common in men, they should still be aware of the symptoms and know when to get checked and how to minimize their risks of getting this disease.

Finally…

In Zimbabwe, research and statistics used to guide the current national cancer response are based on foreign studies. It is therefore crucial for the nation to develop and run local studies which are likely to be more applicable and relevant to our population. This is one of the objectives of the Cancer Association of Zimbabwe (CAZ). CAZ which was founded in 1961 to raise awareness of breast cancer, support patients and families and provide educational resources. The organisation continues to call for collaborations with institutions of higher learning, research funding institutions, medical practitioners, research institutions, pharmacists, epidemiologists and any other individuals and institutions that are interested to jointly venture into cancer research.

To donate to the Cancer Association of Zimbabwe visit https://www.cancerzimbabwe. org/

“Urban Water Spirits”