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Breast cancer: 'Both my husband and I survived the disease' - BBC News

Breast cancer: 'Both my husband and I survived the disease' - BBC News

Breast cancer: 'Both my husband and I survived the disease' - BBC News
Oct 16, 2021 2 mins, 10 secs

Grandmother Pat's diagnosis perhaps is not so unusual as it is the UK's most common cause of cancer among women.

"Many men are oblivious that they can get breast cancer," said Mark, 79.

"I'd not heard about it before I got it," said the grandfather from south Wales who, like his wife, wants to raise awareness of the illness.

"Most think it is a cancer only women can get and that may be because much of the awareness campaigns are aimed at women - with pink campaigns," said the former Army reservist.

"Men haven't even thought about getting breast cancer," said Pat, a line dancing teacher who lives in the seaside resort of Porthcawl.

Pat and Mark spoke during male breast cancer awareness week, as Cancer Research UK data shows about 370 men in the UK get the disease every year.

So while breast cancer is the UK's most common cause of cancer, in men it is a relatively rare condition.

"Men don't use the word breast in respect of themselves," said Mark, a retired architectural illustrator.

If I tell them I've had breast cancer, they don't understand it.

I've had breast cancer, so what.".

Both Mark's mother and sister have also had breast cancer, and researchers say both men and women with a strong family history of breast cancer are at an increased risk.

"There's a very strong message out there for women to check their breasts and most women are aware," said Tenovus Cancer Care chief executive Judi Rhys.

"So if there are any changes in the nipple area, men may just ignore them and think it's nothing - then it's left to develop, that's why breast cancer among men is often late diagnosed.".

"Men have breast tissue exactly the same way women do," said Zoe Barber, consultant oncoplastic breast surgeon at Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend!

Similarly, medication can change men's breasts as well and men do need to be just as aware of breast changes as women do?

"Men can also undergo a mastectomy which is an operation where we take all of the breast tissue away normally with nipple and areola, which is the darker skin around the nipple.

"I do think for men they should call it chest cancer," said Pat.

Men warned to check for breast cancer symptoms.

Summarized by 365NEWSX ROBOTS

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