Black Men More Likely to Die of Breast Cancer than White Men

It may seem strange but even if in women, breast cancer is the second most deadly cancer type after lung cancer, this condition also affects men, as the breast is composed of the same tissues in both man and woman.

Less than 1% of breast cancers occur in men but the condition is more severe in men than in women.

Men with gynecomastia (a condition in which men grow female-like breasts) do not have a higher risk of developing breast cancer.

A new research at Columbia University reveals that in case of breast cancer diagnose, African-American men have higher chances of dying of this condition compared with white men.

The investigation focused on race and other factors among 510 men over 65 diagnosed with stage I-III breast cancer between 1991 and 2002 discovered five-year survival rates of about 90% among 456 white men and 66% among 34 African-American men.

"Racial disparities in outcomes in women with breast cancer have been well studied," said Dr. Dawn L. Hershman, an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at Columbia University and the study's senior author.

"This study shows that similar racial disparities exist for men. While male breast cancer is rare, understanding the factors that black men and women with breast cancer have in common may help us understand the reasons for these disparities."

In men, breast cancer represents less than 1% of all cancers, but its occurrence has been rising by roughly 60% between 1990 and 2000.

Last year, about 1,700 new cases were found in the US and roughly 400 males died of breast cancer.

"These findings support more investigation into the clinical and biologic factors that contribute to racial disparities in male breast cancer. While many different factors are likely to be involved in the disparity, this study provides some clues that lower access to standard treatment may be an important cause," said Hershman.