Despite popular belief, men can be affected with breast cancer. However, it is relatively rare as compared to women. According to the latest estimates from the American Cancer Society, there are approximately 1,970 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in men each year, which cause an estimated 390 deaths. Other interesting male breast cancer statistics include:
Lifetime Risk: In a lifetime, the risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000 for men, compared to 1 in 8 for women.
Age at Diagnosis: Breast cancer in men is usually diagnosed between the ages of 60 and 70 years.
Risk Factors: Some unique risk factors for men to develop breast cancer include a family history of breast cancer, high estrogen levels or exposure to radiation. Approximately 1 in 5 men with breast cancer also have a close male or female relative that also has been affected. High estrogen levels usually result from liver disease such as cirrhosis or Klinefelter’s syndrome, a genetic disorder where men are born with a Y (male) chromosome and 2 or more X (female) chromosomes.
Survival Rates: It was once thought that men with breast cancer have an overall worse prognosis than women. However, this is not true any more. The survival rate for men with breast cancer is similar to that of women, which is largely dependent in which stage the breast cancer is at diagnosis. If diagnosed at Stage 0, the 5-year relative breast cancer survival rate for men is 100 percent. For Stage I and II, the 5-year survival rate is 96 percent and 84 percent, respectively. Survival reaches 52 percent when the breast cancer is diagnosed in Stage III and 24 percent when diagnosed in Stage IV.
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