A 70-year-old man got a new lease of life after doctors treated him for stage 1 breast cancer at the Wockhardt hospital in Mira Road. A large number of females have breast cancer but it is rare in men. According to doctors, the patient didn’t require any chemotherapy or radiation and was put on hormone therapy (oral medication). Currently, the patient is stable and has been discharged from the hospital.
Alok Singh, (name changed) from Lucknow panicked when he noticed an increase in the breast size of one side full stop immediately, he dismissed it as an age-related change. He started wearing jackets and mufflers to camouflage the swelling. Later he noticed a palpable lump within the swelling and consulted at a local hospital where he was diagnosed to have gynecomastia. His son was not satisfied with the treatment at the native place and brought his father to Mumbai and consulted him with a surgeon. On examination, Dr Aditi concluded that the patient did not have gynecomastia and needed additional tests such as an x-ray Mammogram and biopsy to confirm the nature of the lump.
Both reports were suggestive of breast cancer. After the family was informed about the report both father and son were in shock. The father was in denial mode that men did not get breast cancer.
Dr Aditi Agrawal, Breast Cancer Surgeon, Wockhardt Hospital, Mira Road said, according to the American Cancer Society, the risk of developing breast cancer is about 1 in 833. They are usually diagnosed in stage 3 or 4 as breast tissue is very small in size in males and people are not aware that males can also have cancer. “We were lucky to diagnose it early and the results are excellent and survival is similar to the female counterparts. However, the son was understanding and had medical knowledge. He convinced the father to undergo complete removal of the breast that is mastectomy. The final report suggested stage 1 breast cancer,” she said.
“Breast cancer in men just sounded odd to me. For me cancer means death. So, when I heard about my diagnosis, I was shocked and numb when I saw my reports. I was just silent and couldn’t utter a single word in front of my family. Fortunately, it was stage 1 cancer and I thank the doctors for appropriate treatment. I can do everything that I was doing before the treatment. I am living my life to the fullest. I urge men not to ignore symptoms like thickening of the breast tissue, painless lump, changes in the skin covering the breast like dimpling, puckering, redness, scaling, or watery discharge from the nipple,” concluded the patient Alok Singh (name changed).
