Friday, October 24, 2014

Another hidden side of breast cancer - male patients

Yes breast cancer can and does occur in men. Less than 0.1 percent of all breast cancer diagnoses are male (I think that's the number - its very low). Until I was diagnosed with breast cancer I had no idea men could get breast cancer. Then a friend's cat died of breast cancer. Basically any animal with the right physiology can get breast cancer.

So if you think its bad to get breast cancer as a woman. How do you think a man would feel if he walked into the breast cancer treatment area and its full of women? Or he had to go for a mammogram in the 'pink area' of the hospital?

I can't imagine what it would like to be dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis and feeling literally like the 'odd man out' in the women focused world of breast cancer. 

I can  think of numerous places and instances during my cancer treatment that I felt was very female focused. Even the exam rooms are filled with pictures, diagrams, and schematics for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment all focused on the female body.

But it happens, men do get breast cancer, and we should welcome them into our world and let them benefit from our experiences. If you know a man with breast cancer, please take a few minutes to reach out to him and see if you can help him in his breast cancer journey.

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