The Difficulties Of Male Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer Videos
Sarah was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2010. This insightful patient story details how she has coped with her diagnosis over the last few years.
The Haven is a breast cancer charity that offers advice and support to cancer patients if their cancer returns. Learn more.
Sometimes cancer patients find out that their cancer has returned. The Haven is a breast cancer charity that offers advice and support to cancer patients in this position.
For many men, coping with a “woman’s disease” can be tough. Watch to learn about the difficulties of male breast cancer.
Men diagnosed with breast cancer often know little about medical procedures to treat it. Learn here about going to the doctor with breast cancer
Learn about treatment for male breast cancer, and hear from a cancer patient in our video interview.
Breast cancer can affect men but is rare. Learn what the risk factors for men are for developing breast cancer.
Men with breast cancer often complain that there is not enough information available that targets male cancer patients. Learn more.
Learn more about breast cancer in our short video interview with a breast care nurse specialist.
When Melanie was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer, she was told that her chances of surviving were slim. Now after surgery and several years of treatment she is enjoying her life to the fullest.
Chemotherapy uses a range of drugs to treat breast cancer. In this video we examine monotherapy and combination therapy and answer the question what is chemotherapy?
Metastatic cancer describes when cancer cells have migrated from the primary cancer site to another part of the body. Learn more about metastasis from our video.
Adjusting to a diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer can be a difficult process. Watch our interview with a healthcare professional to find out more.
Clinical trials exist to test the efficacy of drugs and other treatments. Watch our video on clinical trials and breast cancer.
Clinical trials exist to test the efficacy of drugs and other treatments. Watch our video on clinical trials terminology.
Hormone sensitive breast cancer is fuelled by naturally produced female hormones. Turning the fuel supply off can make a difference.
Breast Cancer is the most common cancer affecting women in the UK. Watch our video series to find out about breast cancer help and support.
Susan has been undergoing treatments for metastatic breast cancer for more than 6 years.
What can a clinical trial do for you? Watch this video to find out
A video explaining the types of and treatment for advanced breast cancer available to patients and the considerations needed when choosing therapy.
What are the difficulties?
Clive: To be diagnosed with male breast cancer, you feel slightly out of your own environment, if you like. Unless you've had somebody within your family who has had treatment for breast cancer, I don't think many men realize what the treatments are and what they involved and how long they are.
I don't think that they understand just exactly how life-altering the situation can be for you, and that it can have long-term effects on all sorts of aspects of your life.
Why is having breast cancer so difficult for men?
Debra Horsman, Breast Care Nurse Specialist: It's particularly difficult for men because breast cancer is predominantly a women's disease and that's; no men would every really believe that that could ever happen to them.
And that men actually don't tend to go to the doctor with health issues. Maybe don't want to saying that perhaps there's something wrong in the breast area, and would ignore even the symptoms that maybe a woman would pick up on much earlier.
Graham: The worst thing about breast cancer as a male is that it's a female disease in many people's minds. It's a shock that you've got cancer. But then there's all the people around who do not know that men can get male; males can get breast cancer.
And so you're having to help people with that as well as the fact that you've got cancer.
What should a man do?
Debra Horsman: Just like women, men should go to the GP straightaway, as soon as they find anything, obviously, in the chest area.
Either a lump or a swelling. An inversion of the nipple. Any discharge from the nipple, particularly blood.
And they should actively seek out seeing the GP as quickly as they possibly could.
Also, the area to look is under the arm. If there is any swelling there, it is an indication that this could be related to breast cancer.
10612 Reviewed November 2012
comments powered by Disqus