Men&Breast Cancer (10/13/10)

Men are Equally Important

It’s like a scar; it won’t heal on its own. It needs your help to disappear, if you can’t help yourself it can kill you. It’s Breast cancer. Breast cancer is mostly seen as a disease that targets mostly women, but it also targets a majority of men as well. Breast cancer was discovered in Egypt, back in this time there was said to be no cure for this cancer. Now, thanks to modern medicine there are many ways to be able to detect this type of cancer. Just like any other cancer, you never know when breast cancer is going to target you. Now, women usually are required by their doctors to get tested for breast cancer after forty. While men are not even thinking that they can be targeted by this type of cancer. There are ways that men and women can self test themselves at home everyday. Breast cancer is no joke, the earlier it’s detected, the better chances you have of living through this horrible roller coaster. Especially for men, usually when men are diagnosed, the cancer has already spread. People don’t usually think about how men are affected once they are diagnosed with this disease. Also, when it comes to men with breast cancer some may feel like no one cares, because everything that has to do with breast cancer relates to women with the disease. Getting tested frequently is very important, breast cancer doesn't choose it’s targets by race, gender or age. Every six months, it is suggested you go to the dentist. Every year, it is suggested you check yourself for diseases such as Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Another type of check up that should be on men’s “to-do” list is breast cancer examinations. Just like women, men should be frequently getting tested for Breast Cancer.

“Males are more likely to view breast as vestigial anatomy or something to flex on the beach” (Robinson). The main reason that men are usually diagnosed with advanced breast cancer is because they are not aware that they can be affected with this type of cancer. Many people see breast associated to women, femininity, and sexuality. To most men breast or as others call it “pecs” are just there to make their bodies look good. Men are only worried about making there bodies look good for the beach; they are not thinking that they can be the next victim of Cancer. This is all because of the lack of awareness that physicians provides men with. Women are recommended by physicians to do periodic self-examinations, which physicians usually don’t tell men to perform. “Many male breast cancer patients report feeling ignored by their physician, with symptoms initially dismissed” (Pituskin). This clearly states that men don’t even feel well attended when they visit their physicians. Especially since they have just been diagnosed with breast cancer, and they feel their physician does not know enough about men with breast cancer. Although more women than men are diagnosed with breast cancer, all physicians need to remain aware that this disease targets everyone.