Author Topic: Doc says 40 percent of Gynos get Breast Cancer  (Read 6402 times)

Offline Preds

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hypo
I completely understand , if you read my post, that it is a very small population would get male breast cancer.  Its obvious that you follow cancer statistics well.  

However, if you think that any statistic cannot be manipulated to say what you want then you need to take a statistic course.  Statistics, I don't care how scientifically one obtained them, should only be used as a guideline and not a fact

The original post here is a good example.  Of course 40% of gyne sufferers don't have male breast cancer or we would be dropping like flies.  But the statistics were manipulated to make someone believe it.  The statistics you quoted on


It is in fact 29% of all gynecomastia sufferers have an underlying causative condition.  
 
Cirrhosis/Liver problems 8%  
Primary Hypogonadism 8%  
Testicular Tumor 3% (corrected)  
Secondary Hypogondism 2%  
Hyperthyroidism 1%  
Renal Disease 1%  
Others 6% (this is the title as they are many causes that add up to less than 1% each)  


You can't say its a fact.  Only that out of people that have been tested.  In reality, this problem has not been well tested.  Most men are so embarrassed that they don't see a MD about problem so the population sample for any statistical data is very limited therefore putting any info in question.  However, like I have said before, it is a good guideline only.
Post surgery
Got my shirt off right now!!!!! lol

Offline nicktheory

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Guys, we keep repeating ourselves. I'll make this simple. I am looking for an article of some medical or journalistic worth that confirms what several of you have stated with out citation: that 40 percent of the relatively small number of male breast cancer cases diagnosed in the U.S. each year also suffer from gyncomastia. Causation of either is not relevant to my question. Can anyone help?

Offline Hypo-is-here

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Quote
hypo
I completely understand , if you read my post, that it is a very small population would get male breast cancer. .


I know you have said this and you are quite right, we concur here.

Quote

However, if you think that any statistic cannot be manipulated to say what you want then you need to take a statistic course.  Statistics, I don't care how scientifically one obtained them, should only be used as a guideline and not a fact
.


Of course statistics can be manipulated, I am perfectly aware of this, but I feel you are turning the discussion somewhat into a discussion purely about statistics and whilst they may form part of the discussion to be fair this is not a thesis on statistics.  

Whilst any statistic can be manipulated if the source is in question we should not assume that every source of statistics is corrupt or lacking legitimacy.

The statistics I have laid out come from two eminent sources the second concurring with the first after a period of nine years (a long time in medicine) and the two sources are from differing backgrounds and continents.  We have absolutely no reason to question the primary source that originated the statistics or the secondary source that corroborated them.

As you know statistics range from the vital, to the banal and irrelevant, at there best they help this world of ours to turn providing vital information for decision makers.

To say that simply that statistics can be manipulated and to leave it in the air like that implies that ALL statistics are less than useless and that is not so; perhaps something has come across wrong/is missing from your original intent.

Quote

The original post here is a good example.  Of course 40% of gyne sufferers don't have male breast cancer or we would be dropping like flies.  But the statistics were manipulated to make someone believe it.  The statistics you quoted on
.


Good to see that you know this is incorrect; you are quite right to put it the way you have, we would indeed be dropping like flies if the statistics are presented were true.

It would mean breast cancer would be the biggest killer of men in the US, whereas reality tells us that it is thankfully is a very rare condition in men.
However I must say once again, this is not an example of a misleading statistic, or rather not in the way you seem to think.

This is an example of the source of the statistic making a VERY obvious and frankly stupid mistake that inadvertently misleads and scares many men with gynecomastia who happen to read it (a good example of the pitfalls of the internet).

I corrected the statistic and explained how it was originally framed from the research; this source has taken that statistic, misunderstood it and quite simply bogged it.  It is a mistake of such simplicity and on such a grand/extravagant scale that it is blatantly obvious that it is not the work of manipulation, but rather error.

Quote

It is in fact 29% of all gynecomastia sufferers have an underlying causative condition.  
 
Cirrhosis/Liver problems 8%  
Primary Hypogonadism 8%  
Testicular Tumor 3% (corrected)  
Secondary Hypogondism 2%  
Hyperthyroidism 1%  
Renal Disease 1%  
Others 6% (this is the title as they are many causes that add up to less than 1% each)  


You can't say its a fact.  Only that out of people that have been tested.  In reality, this problem has not been well tested.  Most men are so embarrassed that they don't see a MD about problem so the population sample for any statistical data is very limited therefore putting any info in question.  However, like I have said before, it is a good guideline only.


It is based on a very large number of men that have been presented to endocrinologists with varying degrees of gynecomastia and taken to be representative of the relative frequencies of causes of the condition.

Both the sources investigating the condition are highly respected within their relative fields and I see no reason to doubt the statistics presented, though I acknowledge that in any given control group their will be a deviation from that presented.  But that is why these statistics are framed under the heading “The Relative Frequencies”.

I think the statistics are a very good guide or at least the best we have to my knowledge and research of material that has been available for the last 20 years.

I don’t think we are at loggerheads at all, the difference between us has been one of emphasis and the intent of that articles statistics and nothing more.

We have become bogged down in the statistics like I said, disappointingly so;

The REAL point surly has to be that the BIGGEST causes for concern for the man in the street with gynecomastia are unfortunately being overlooked or at least not being afforded enough due consideration by physicians and some endocrinologists, many of who seem almost obsessed with the RARE and unlikely cause that we have been discussing.

Offline Hypo-is-here

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Quote
Guys, we keep repeating ourselves. I'll make this simple. I am looking for an article of some medical or journalistic worth that confirms what several of you have stated with out citation: that 40 percent of the relatively small number of male breast cancer cases diagnosed in the U.S. each year also suffer from gyncomastia. Causation of either is not relevant to my question. Can anyone help?



I can probably go and dig it out of the archive of information I have have and present it to you- if it is not on paper that is.

Can I ask what is it about breast cancer that has you so interested given how RARE it is, why are you not as interested and concerned about what are more likely causative conditions?







Offline nicktheory

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Thanks. If you -- or anyone else -- comes across a citation I'd appreciate. Now as for my concern on this small sliver of risk, 1) I am not sure it is correct, just a guess. If 600-700 men a year with gyne come down with breast cancer I suspect we'd be hearing stories on this site or reading about it in articles; doctors would also be as clear in expressing gyne as a possible risk factor for male breast cancer, as they are for KS with or without gyne (10 times the norm) and a familiar history of breast cancer (3.5 times the norm). But every article I have read and doctor I have talked to about this issue says there are no clear stats on this relationship; no one has done the research. Thus the one article I stumbled upon, quoting someone who doesn't seem like an expert leaves me skeptical. 2) I have a familiar history and am planning on tests for KS. If there is evidence of a possible additional risk factor (no matter how small) I would like to know it.

Offline Hypo-is-here

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But why the interest in this as opposed to other serious causes/associations that occur at FAR greater frequencies?

I just don't understand why you are so hung up on this one issue.

However you cut it the risk is miniscule with breast cancer but it is not with testicular cancer say- so why are we discussing this with such reverence?

Also just to let you know KS is just one form of hypogonadism.

There are many other causes of hypogonadism.

Hypogonadism is a causative factor for 10% of all gynecomastia sufferers, whereas breast cancer represents less than 1%.

I really think breast cancer has been dicussed more than enough to be honest and I still don't know what you would gain from me handing you an article that points to the correct statistic on it.

:-/ :-/ :-/ :-/













Offline nicktheory

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We all have our own interests (or hang ups) relating to gynecomastia and one of mine happens to be MBC at this time and place; I have others, and I explore them elsewhere. Apologies if we don't share the same degree of concern over various gyno-related maladies, at least not today. But if no one explores even the rarer afflictions then the less we learn and bad information just keeps recycling.

By the way, for those of you who might care about the MBC and gynecomastia link here is a link to a series of NCI papers on the subject. For Klienfelter sufferers, you already know the risk of MBC. (One paper shows that 7.5 percent of MBC sufferers have KS). Worse, 4 to 14 percent of MBC suffers have the BRAC2 gene defect. There are 11 papers in this series, some quite good. They run from the late 90s to 2005. Surprisingly, or perhaps not, there is no mention of a predisposition to MBC among those with gynecomastia alone (without KS). Other surprises: Jewish ancestry increases the risk of MBC. (Perhaps that explains Howard Cosell's death, from MBC.)

Anyway, for those of you who care ....
Anyway, here is the link: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/malebreast/healthprofessional

Offline Hypo-is-here

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This seems to me like a morbid facination that you have, you say you have others as well  :-/

From the perspective of someone who has had cancer twice myself I must say your interest seems to be almost voyeuristic.

I do not see how furthering this is in the interests of those with gynecomastia.

I'm out of this thread.

Offline nicktheory

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Well, let me further this interest. And if you don't care for the subject matter or the detail, ignore it. You don't run the site, sport. And it sounds like we're all lucky you don't. Anyway, on the home page of this site is a lisiting for male breast cancer information. The link and NCI papers I provided earlier are a valuable new addition to this subject. I have some additional information, as well: KS sufferers have roughly the same risk for MBC as women. Men with the BRAC1 or 2 gene have roughly 10 times the MBC risk as the average man. From what stats I could find, thus far, having gyne basically doubles your (miniscule) risk MBC.

Offline Hypo-is-here

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Come on Nick  :-/

I am saying I am out because I don't find this to be something that is particularly helpful- seriously it sounds more like a hang-up that you have  :-/

In any event;

It is your perogative to further this if you wish, I am just saying I am not going to join you as is my perogative.

I have already dedicated my time and efforts to help you obtain details of endocrinologists haven't I ???

So come on please don't insult me   :'(

You know I would help you if you required it.

P.S

If I did run this site and I could stop you from saying what you do;

I wouldn't stop you from saying anything you have!!!

You would still get to say exactly what you want- unedited.

Because despite the fact that I wonder about the logic and reasoning behind your actions I believe in free speech as long as it is not harming anyone.

All the best mate








« Last Edit: December 06, 2005, 01:15:03 PM by Hypo-is-here »

Offline nicktheory

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Ok then. Apology offered, if I offended.

Cheers


 

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