How men cope with the disease is still a mystery. The first North American study looking at what men experience after a breast cancer diagnosis is considering many the different ways men and women deal with the diagnosis.
Alberta's Cancer Registry identified 125 living men ranging in age from 44 to 85 who have been diagnosed with the disease--she included 20 in her study.
Edie Pituskin, who works at the Cross Cancer Institute as a clinical research nurse for the Northern Alberta Breast Cancer Program found a wide range of reactions to the diagnosis - from those who felt they could tell no-one what they were facing to those who became advocates.
One man made it his mission to educate people, going so far as lifting his shirt at work, warning other males it could happen to them. Another man described himself as "all cut up" and unattractive to women. Several men said they would not go swimming or without a shirt because of the attention it might bring.
With male breast cancer patients growing in number, Pituskin hopes to raise awareness about the disease and not only encourage men to visit their doctors more often but to highlight the disease to health care professionals who may recognize the illness too late.
She also wants to see men participating in breast cancer clinical trials since currently all drug or treatment trials allow only female participants.
