Breast Cancer Not Regulated to Women; Some Men Battle It too

According to the American Cancer Society, one in eight women has a chance of developing invasive breast cancer in her life.

But the disease, which is aligned closely with women, can also affect men. One retired San Antonio judge discovered that personally.
James Barlow always prided himself on being prepared to tackle anything, both in his long legal career and in life. But late this spring, doctors shocked the grandfather with the news he had breast cancer.

"You can't prepare for that because it's totally unexpected," he said.

A Family History

For Barlow, his personal diagnosis was not his first encounter with breast cancer. Both his daughters already had been diagnosed with the disease — daughter Melissa in 2003, and Becky last year.

"The most difficult part was telling my mom," said Becky Dorsey. "[That was] because she was already dealing with my sister. Her response was, 'This was just too much.'"

With two daughters already battling breast cancer, the family decided to get genetic testing for a cancer gene.

"They wanted to study why my two daughters both have it," Barlow said.

To the family's surprise, James, not his wife, Virginia, was the carrier. For years doctors believed that breast cancer was inherited only from the mother's side. But as Barlow's case proves, breast cancer can be passed down from either parent.

"I think it may be more common than we think," Barlow said.

At least one family member wasn't surprised by the revelation.

"I wasn't as surprised we inherited the gene from him, as I was [that he] got breast cancer," said Melissa Barlow-Fischer.

According to the National Institutes of Health's Web site, male breast cancer is rare and most commonly occurs in men between ages 60 and 70. Risk factors include radiation exposure, a family history of breast cancer and having high estrogen levels.

For the Barlows, the uncommon diagnosis was most difficult for Virginia.

"Each time someone in the family got it, it was equally hard," she said.


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