What exactly is male breast enlargement?

There are differences between men and women, and the chest is the most obvious feature. Although men have nipples, it is normal for them to have flat chests. Due to environmental pollution, dietary hazards, hormones and other reasons, some men will also have enlarged chests. So, what exactly is the enlargement of male breasts?

Men and Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most common tumors in women. Men also have breast tissue. Although male hormones inhibit the growth of breast tissue, they cannot completely eliminate breast tissue. Therefore, men may also develop breast cancer. Male breast cancer is rare, accounting for 1% of all breast cancers, which means that the risk of breast cancer in women is 100 times that of men. The risk of breast cancer in men during their lifetime is 1 in 1,000.

Male breast cancer mainly occurs in people aged 60 to 70. One of the risk factors is exposure to radiation, such as patients who have undergone chest radiotherapy. Radiotherapy is a last resort when there is a malignant tumor. In addition, try to avoid exposing the chest to radiation as much as possible, and do not receive chest CT and X-rays too frequently.

The second is high estrogen levels

Men can synthesize a small amount of estrogen, but in some cases, estrogen secretion is too much, which not only causes male breast enlargement, but also increases the risk of breast cancer. One of these situations is obesity. Losing weight is a healthy way for both men and women to reduce the risk of breast cancer. The second of these situations is long-term use of antihypertensive drugs, drugs that reduce stomach acid, drugs for treating prostate cancer, etc. Suffering from Klinefelter syndrome and cirrhosis of the liver can also lead to excessive estrogen levels.

The third is genetic

If several female relatives have breast cancer, the risk of breast cancer in men will increase. In this case, don't just think about the female relatives. Male members should also do a genetic test to see if they have BRCA-2 mutations. If they do, the possibility of developing breast cancer in life increases by 60 times, but it is not as high as that of women with this mutation. Regular checks can be done. BRCA-1 mutations have nothing to do with male breast cancer.

Because breast cancer is rare, there is no need for every man over 60 to undergo regular mammograms. This is because men have very little breast tissue, and once cancer occurs, it is easy to feel a lump. Those who think they are at high risk can touch their chests regularly or check for BRCA-2 mutations. There is no difference between male and female breast cancer in disease classification and progression, so the treatment is the same. Surgical resection is the first choice, supplemented by other methods.