BREAST CANCER … Men are at risk, too

* While breast cancer is rare in males, representing about one per cent of all cancer cases, it is important for men to remain aware and to report to their general practitioner any lumps on the breast or chest.

* Men with a familial history of breast cancer are at an increased risk of developing the disease. The risk also increases if there is a family history of ovarian cancer and prostate cancer.

* Breast cancer in men usually presents itself as a lump in the chest, dimpling of the skin or changes in the nipple.

* In men, when a lump presents in the breast, if cancerous, the disease could already be at an advanced stage due to less dense breast tissue.

* Men diagnosed with breast cancer at an early stage have a good chance of survival. Treatment of the disease typically involves surgery to remove the breast tissue.