Breast Cancer in Men: More men having double mastectomies

1 percent of breast cancer diagnoses are male

Males have a much lower risks of developing breast cancer. How men are treated -compared to female patients- is now under research after one study stated that the number of men opting for double mastectomies have nearly doubled.

MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - Medical experts are puzzled after a study found the percentage of men who underwent double mastectomies almost doubled at 5.6 percent in 2010-2011 from just 3 percent in 2004-2005, ABC News reported.

Researchers examined 6,332 men with breast cancer for the study which reflected a significant increase on the procedure considering the development of the disease in males differs from that of females,  who are usually advised to have prophylactic double mastectomies.

Lead researcher Ahmedin Jemal, the current vice president of surveillance research at the American Cancer Society, told ABC News that it is unclear why men opt for double mastectomies. "It is concerning because there is no really good evidence" that male breast cancer patients need to remove tissue from both breasts.

The rate of women having prophylactic double mastectomies has risen, the study found. However, Jemal explained that some women are in greater risk of developing cancer in their second breast due to the BRCA gene mutation, making them "predisposed to breast or ovarian cancer" that can be prevented through the double mastectomies.

Treatment for men now interests researchers who speculate men may be encouraged to have both breasts operated on by their female counterparts.

"It doesn't make sense to me to remove it. You also don't know if physicians who are used to or recommending prophylactic mastectomies in women are doing the same thing for men," said surgical oncologist Dr. Robert Shenk. Like Jemal, he also suggested more research regarding male breast cancer treatments.

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