Analysis of Knowledge About Male Breast Cancer Among Patients at Tertiary Medical Center

Abstract

In the overall population, the incidence of breast cancer in men is lower than in women. Men’s breast cancer awareness is affected both by the low incidence of breast cancer in men and by the presence of a perception that breast cancer can only be seen in women in society. This study aims to determine this awareness and guide future studies on improving social awareness. This study examined male and female patients aged 18 to 75 years who were admitted to our hospital’s general surgery outpatient clinic. A questionnaire containing questions about male breast cancer was administered to the patients, and the study was conducted face-to-face voluntarily. A total of 411 patients, 270 female and 141 male, participated in the study. The results showed that 61.1% of the participants were unaware of the possibility of breast cancer in men. Evaluation of the relationship between awareness and gender revealed that women were more knowledgeable than men ( p = .006). Educational status also had a significant influence on awareness ( p = .001). Awareness of male breast cancer in society is low. Raising public awareness of this issue will enable men to be diagnosed earlier, at a lower stage, and thus to better respond to treatment, increasing their survival time.