As a Black man, you’ve got a lot on your plate. Whether it’s grinding day and night to put money in the bank, dealing with the kids and fam, or living the life of a single ready-to-mingle, time is always ticking. And the last thing you wanna be worried about is potentially serious health issues.
Especially breast cancer.
You heard that right, breast cancer. Now, you’re probably thinking, breast cancer affects Black men? Isn’t that a female thing? As if I don’t have enough on my mind, now you’re talking about breast cancer??
Here’s the thing though: according to the American Cancer Society and the CDC, breast cancer in men is not as uncommon as you may think. Actually, it’s even more common in Black guys – over 50 percent more likely than it is in white men.
But don’t go sweating just yet! Per the CDC, only one percent of diagnosed breast cancers in the U.S. are found in men. Not to mention, there are plenty of abnormal signs you can check for to make sure you’re good to go.
Screening yourself – and going to a doctor when things don’t seem right – can make a world of difference.
What’s Breast Cancer Like in Guys, Anyway?
First off, if it makes you feel any better, think of it as chest cancer, or pec cancer. But don’t kid yourself. You’ve got milk ducts just like the ladies, except in your case, they rarely, if ever, function.
Anyway, when it comes to cancer of the male breast, it’s got some pretty obvious signs. With fewer than three in 100,000 Black men diagnosed, it’s important to keep an eye out.
The symptoms can be strange enough that you immediately notice – but not always.
They include:
- Lump or thickness under the skin
- Puckered, dimpled skin
- Fluid discharge from nipples
- Lump/swelling in the armpit or near the collarbone
- Skin resembling the outside of an orange
- Red or ‘scaled’ nipples
- Nipples going inward
The easiest way to detect less obvious signs is by checking yourself. Just as you’d do a little feel and look for
