Although breast cancer occurs more commonly in women, men do get it. The lifetime risk of developing breast cancer in men is 1 in 1,000, according to the American Cancer Society. Survival rates are similar for women and men and depend on the cancer stage at diagnosis. Treatment for breast cancer in men is similar to the treatment for women.
Surgery
Surgery to remove the cancerous tissue is typically part of breast cancer treatment for men. Procedures range from lumpectomy, in which only the tumor is removed, to modified radical mastectomy, in which all of the breast tissue and lymph nodes under the arm are removed. As noted on the breast cancer information website Breastcancer.org, lumpectomies are done less often than modified mastectomies in men because of the small size of the male breast. Depending on the type of procedure and the health of the patient, the surgery can be either outpatient or inpatient.
Radiation Therapy
Depending on the size and stage of the cancer, a patient may undergo radiation therapy after surgery. In radiation therapy, high energy rays are used to kill any remaining cancer cells in the breast area or under the arm. According to the American Cancer Society, radiation therapy is commonly given five days a week for about six weeks. The treated area often has sunburn-like changes, and the skin may need to be protected from the sun during the therapy.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy involves strong medications that kill cancer cells. If there is evidence that the cancer has spread beyond the breast, the oncologist may suggest chemotherapy to treat those distant cells. In some situations, the oncologist will prescribe chemotherapy even if there is no evidence that the cancer has spread. In other cases, the medical team may treat the patient with chemotherapy before the breast surgery; this may shrink the tumor before removal, according to the American Cancer Society.
Hormone Therapy
Many breast cancers grow in response to estrogen stimulation, therefore eliminating some of the hormone can cause the tumor to shrink. Men have estrogen, just not as much as women. If the tumor is responsive, the doctor may prescribe an anti-estrogen medication called tamoxifen or other anti-hormone treatments. Other medications block testosterone creation--testosterone can also affect the growth of breast cancer. Hormone therapy can cause sides effects, including loss of libido, hot flashes and weight gain.
Targeted Therapy Treatments
A newer therapy for breast cancer uses research about genes and the changes that occur in a cancer cell. Targeted therapy works on specific abnormalities in the tumor cells to halt or slow the cells' growth or spread. Targeted therapies work on cells that produce too much of a specific protein or prevent tumor cells from creating new blood vessels for growth, according to the Mayo Clinic. Targeted therapies are administered orally or intravenously. These targeted therapies do have side effects, but they are typically not as severe as with chemotherapy. Targeted therapies can be given in conjunction with chemotherapy.
