Transgendered/Transexual Breast Cancer

Cancer Disparities:
Breast Cancer:
· There are no studies of the incidence of breast cancer in transsexual or transgendered
individuals. There have been only three documented cases of breast cancer in this population,
but that is likely a significant underestimate, given the hesitance of many transgendered
individuals to reveal their transsexualism to their physicians.
· Onset of breast cancer would most likely occur after a male-to-female (MtF) transgendered
individual has undergone hormone replacement therapy (HRT), inferring from the recent
increase of non-transgendered women having a higher incidence of breast cancer after five
years of HRT.
· Excessive testosterone in men (either female-to-male [FtM] or non-transsexual men) can be
converted into estrogen, which may lead to increased risk for estrogen-induced health
problems, including breast cancer.
· FtM individuals often feel disassociated from their breasts, and as such, may be hesitant to
perform breast self-exams, one of the most effective means to detect breast cancer.
· Even after sexual reassignment surgery such as chest reconstruction, FtM transsexuals may
still be at risk for breast cancer because breast muscle wall tissue remains. Breast tissue cells
may be present in the nipple area as well as throughout the chest area, elevating the risk of
developing breast cancer4.