Most people are convinced that breast cancer is exclusively a female disease that does not occur in males. In reality, this is not the case; malignant breast oncopathologies also develop in men. Their rarity (in male patients, breast cancer occurs approximately 100 times less frequently than in women) is one of the main reasons for the delayed diagnosis of the pathology. Breast cancer treatment in men in Israel is carried out by highly qualified doctors using progressive methods of anti-tumour therapy. The treatment regimen includes gentle surgical operations, low-toxicity chemotherapy, hormonal and targeted therapies.
Despite the questionable prognosis of this oncological disease, undergoing a full course of treatment, primarily surgical treatment, at an early stage ensures a stable remission of more than 10 years. To establish a diagnosis and develop a therapeutic program, a comprehensive examination of the patient is necessary. The modern high-precision equipment of Israeli clinics allows for the rapid detection of oncological formations of the smallest sizes, describing their characteristics, based on which treatment methods and medications are selected. Patients who have undergone therapy leave reviews highlighting its effectiveness and affordable cost, noting the friendliness and attentiveness of the medical staff, and comfortable conditions.
Treatment Methods for the Disease
Breast cancer, diagnosed in a very small number of men, develops as a result of pathological changes in the epithelial cells of the rudiments of the mammary glands. Almost two-thirds of cases are identified in patients with hyperestrogenemia — an increased level of female sex hormones, estrogens — and an increase in breast size. The following causes of hyperestrogenemia are identified:
- age-related decrease in testosterone levels;
- prolonged use of hormonal medications;
- certain endocrine diseases;
- tumours of the testes, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands;
- liver diseases;
- obesity;
- alcohol abuse.
A certain role is also played by the presence of this oncological disease in close relatives and the identification of BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.
In the overwhelming majority of cases, the malignant process affects one breast. In the early stages, the tumour is painless; later, it increases in size, ulcers develop, and discharge from the nipple occurs. As the disease progresses and the pleura and ribs are affected, pain syndrome and symptoms of cancer intoxication (anemia, loss of appetite, nausea, difficulty breathing, exhaustion) develop.
In men, lymphogenous and hematogenous spread of metastases is noted. First of all, metastatic foci develop in the axillary lymph nodes closest to the oncological formation, after which other groups of lymph nodes located in the chest area are affected. Distant metastases are found in the lungs, bones, spinal cord, liver, and kidneys.
The treatment scheme is similar to that for oncopathologies of the breast in women. It includes various methods of surgical removal of the tumour, chemotherapy and radiation, hormonal and targeted therapies.
Surgical Treatment
Typically, if the patient is operable, radical mastectomy is performed — removal of the entire volume of the affected gland along with surrounding lymph nodes and chest muscles. This operation is performed most often, as the lack of sufficient breast tissue in men makes it difficult to perform a conservative intervention — lumpectomy, during which the tumour is excised along with a fragment of surrounding normal tissues).
During the intervention, a biopsy procedure is mandatory, followed by microscopic examination of the sentinel (located closest to the oncological formation) lymph node. If no cancer cells are found in the examined tissues, the lymph nodes are preserved.
Cosmetic defects that arise after the removal of the neoplasm are corrected with reconstructive plastic surgeries. In this case, the patient's own tissues taken from the buttocks or back are transplanted. Restoration of the shape of the nipple and areola is also possible.
In addition, surgical removal of affected distant organs and glands may be prescribed: adrenalectomy (adrenal glands), hypophysectomy, orchiectomy (testes).
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy courses are prescribed to the patient before and after surgery, aiming to reduce the tumour to a resectable size and destroy isolated cancer cells remaining after the intervention. This significantly prevents the spread of the process and the development of recurrence. In addition, chemotherapy treatment is used as a palliative method at the terminal stage of the pathology, alleviating symptoms and improving the patient's quality of life. In Israel, the latest low-toxicity chemotherapeutic agents are used, which gently affect the body and do not cause significant side effects.
Radiotherapy
Typically, it is prescribed in conjunction with chemotherapy for the same purposes: to reduce the size of the tumour focus and prevent recurrence. In Israeli clinics, radiation sessions are performed on modern linear accelerators, using progressive IMRT technology (Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy), which allows for optimal distribution of the dose of ionizing radiation across the entire tumour surface. At the same time, maximum safety for unaffected tissues is maintained.
Hormonal Therapy
Since almost 90% of breast cancer cases in men are hormone-dependent, hormonal medications are included in the treatment regimen. Their action is based on blocking the estrogen receptors of cancer cells, resulting in slowed tumour growth and gradual reduction in size.
Targeted Therapy
Considered a type of immunotherapy. Monoclonal antibody-based targeted drugs are used to treat this oncological disease. Upon entering the patient's body, there is an immediate recognition and attack of malignantly altered cells, provided that normal cells are not affected.
Cryoablation
A progressive minimally invasive technique based on the necrosis and death of cancer cells through freezing under low temperatures. The necessary temperature indicators are achieved by treating the oncological formation with liquid nitrogen. The refrigerant is delivered to the tumour focus using a special catheter, ensuring the safety of surrounding tissues.
Methods of Diagnosing the Disease
The unusual location and the absence of suspicion of malignant tumour development in the patient explain the delayed visit to the doctor. For this reason, oncopathologies of the breast in men are most often diagnosed at advanced stages when the tumour has reached significant sizes, spread, and metastasized to other organs. Studies have shown that about one and a half years pass from the appearance of the first external signs of the pathology to the visit to a specialist.
In Israel, the necessary examinations for diagnosis and building a therapeutic scheme are conducted in about three days.
At the initial consultation with the oncologist, which the patient attends immediately after registering at the clinic, the doctor performs a thorough surface examination, conducts a conversation with the patient to clarify the specifics of the symptoms, and collects the family history. After reviewing the available medical documentation, the oncologist compiles a list of required additional examinations.
Undergoing the prescribed diagnostic procedures:
- ultrasound examination (US) of the breast;
- imaging studies (mammography, CT, PET-CT);
- biopsy;
- determination of specific tumour markers in the blood;
- molecular genetic testing.
The results of the studies are reviewed by a council consisting of an oncologist and narrow-profile specialists. After examining the indicators, the doctors collectively establish a diagnosis and prescribe treatment.
How Much Does Treatment Cost
The price of the therapeutic course and its accessibility are among the most pressing questions for foreign patients. Treatment in Israeli clinics costs approximately 30% less than in Western European medical centers and provides savings of up to 50% of the amount required in the USA.
| Type of Service | Prices |
|---|---|
| Basic diagnostic package | from $2720 |
| Surgery | from $6000 |
| More about the treatment program... |