Now here's a Breast Cancer fact that DOES need more awareness and publicity: men get breast cancer too. In fact, according to cancer.org
The most recent American Cancer Society estimates for male breast cancer in the United States are for 2011:
- About 2,140 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed among men
- About 450 men will die from breast cancer
No, the numbers are not nearly as high for men as they are for women, but it's still a statistic that I feel should get more attention during October. October's Breast Cancer Awareness campaigns usually seem, in my opinion, to be geared more towards women, to the extent that I would be in favor of designating it as "Breast Cancer In Women Awareness". Maybe if it were specified that way, more people would say "Oh, so it occurs in men too?". Because it is relatively uncommon in men, general screening on a regular basis isn't thought to be as effective. However, this is exactly why I think men should be aware that it can happen to them too and know that they, too, need to "Check the bumps and feel for lumps".
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