Men are also at risk for breast cancer – Oncologist reminds  

Breast cancer is a hereditary disease that men and women can suffer from, therefore, both genders should be tested for disease which is high among diagnosed cancer cases in Guyana, according to Dr Justo DeLisle.

Dr DeLisle is the head of the Oncology Department at the Georgetown Public Hospital and during an interview with the News Room on Thursday, he said a total of five patients who seek treatment for breast cancer at the hospital are men.

Breast cancer develops from a cell that grows among the tissues in the breast. Persons can undergo a mammogram to detect the cancerous tumor during its early stages or by use of a biopsy which is when the assumed cancerous cell is tested to make a determination

Dr DeLisle said that although this form of cancer is higher in women, “The men sometimes are affected. For example, here we have around five patients with breast cancer and the treatment is normal. The patient needs to do the same treatment.”

“The men also have the breast gland what happens is that the women have the breast bigger for them to breastfeed and the men don’t have that type of tissue and that is why breast cancer is more frequent in women because they have more tissues,” he added.

In his explanation, he said women have more estrogen and the cancerous cells have been linked to exposure to these hormones. He added that, “breast cancer also has some relation with the heretical process for example it is more frequent in the daughter. If the mom gets some cancer, then the daughter needs to be more careful because cancer the development of cancer is very high.”

Further, he said, “The treatment of breast cancer depends on the stage. You could get the diagnosis at a very early stage sometimes only with surgery you get a good condition. If the lump is bigger when you get the breast cancer diagnosis, sometimes you need to use all  types of treatment could be surgery, chemotherapy, geo therapy, hormonal therapy but the treatment depends on the stage early stage is less treatment could be only surgery, could be surgery and chemotherapy.”

Importantly, he noted that some persons might not know they have breast cancer until the cells have advanced in stages because there aren’t symptoms that are seen early. Some persons will notice the development of a lump however the lump is formed when the cancer cell has already been growing. This is why screening is important.

“We suggest doing the mammogram when the patient is at risk because the mammogram can detect the breast cancer before the tumor turns into the lump,” Dr DeLisle said.

He said this can assist with early detection and therefore treatment can commence sooner. While there is no specific age that women or men should get screening done, persons who have family members with cancer should have regular checkups.