My understanding that for men, the figures are much higher, i.e., much rarer but if diagnosed correctly, likely more fatal.

From my recent experience talking to medical oncologists, it would appear that female breast cancer is actually two different diseases. The differentiating point is estrogen-receptive or not.

Estrogen-receptive apparently is about 80% of reported cases, and is more likely in post-menopausal women. This suggests the possible link to HRT drugs.

The non-receptive apparently tends to occur more in younger women, and is not associated with estrogen either natural or hrt. It is usually worse, but perhaps this is only because of the more difficult diagnosis, and since it strikes mostly younger women, moreso needs real chemotherapy and perhaps radiation; clearly a more serious disease. More likely than not, this is also related to the rare male BC; clearly estrogen isn't a factor for men.

Receptive diagnosis has a possible chance of more early detection, the earlier the better in both types, but more likely to actually occur in receptive.

Self-examination and even professional examination may not be enough. Mammograms may not be enough; sometimes the ONLY way the tumor is even noticed is through ultrasound unless/until it is more advanced. Surgical cases have occurred where only the ultrasound later confirmed with biopsy procedures show the presence of the disease at a relatively early stage; all of the other methods are so flawed that a surgeon was shocked to not be able to palpate to locate a tumor clearly visible on ultrasound simultaneously!

All of this suggests that the medical system sucks, as comes no surprise to most of us.

All I can suggest vehemently is to all women:

Avoid excess carbs like the plague, regardless of age. Triplely so if diagnosed with BC.

Get mammograms and sonograms every six months. This limits the worst-case scenario to likely stage 1 BC or less and maximizes successful treatment options should it occur.

Family history may play a smaller role than conveniently offered up. HRT beyond birth control probably plays a larger role. Estrogen usage has been around too long so all studies are possibly flawed in this regard.

It is reported that estrogen and smoking doesn't mix well; maybe estrogen and carbs also are a deadly combination. All three sounds like a good way to get BC similar to the three-pack-a-day smoker wondering why they get lung-cancer after 30 years.

Michael Landon (Little House on the Prarie, and before that Bonanza] and my mother both died of pancreatic cancer and were of vaguely similar family background [East-European Jewish families]. Although younger, Landon lasted several decades by being on what could be described as an industrial-strength version of the Atkins diet, vigorous exercise, some alternative medicine, and high-dosage chemotherapy, experimental at the time but clearly the precursor of what is used routinely today, likely in lower dosages. Age is definitely a factor working against the young in most cancers, yet Landon beat the odds for the most part; most people are dead within 90 days after diagnosis.

My mother also lasted modestly longer, 14 months, due to an unusual aspect of her case that led to a quicker-than-usual diagnosis indirectly causing a blood workup anomaly that triggered the extra tests and eventualy a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. Without the anomaly, the usual course would have been expected. However, in her case, the tumor blocked the bile duct causing symptoms suggesting gall-bladder disease which was tested for, but instead led to the correct diagnosis of infant-stage pancreatic cancer. At her age, 77, this was actually operable but is the infamous Whipple procedure which has very bad long-term prognosis unrelated to the cancer. She died 14 months later primarily due to liver problems induced by the surgery, not the cancer. The cancer itself was detected so early that her pancreatic function was maintained even after the minimal surgery component regarding the pancreas itself. The main problem was the internal "rerouting" of the rest of her digestive system demanded by anything that causes this problem, which is often unrelated to cancer at all, etc.

So, even in my mother's case, the early detection was the factor that gave her some additionaly quality of life, if only somewhat so. Her age also helped to set the stage for all that happened. Michael Landon managed to survive far longer from a potentially poorer starting point being a relatively young man when he was diagnosed with the typical end-stage PC. But making it his life goal to survive which meant lifestyle changes that represent a greatly enlarged superset of what we must do merely to control our weight was what made the difference. Let him be an inspiration to all of us to get past all of our ills and likely controllable health problems, etc.

cjl