Transgendered/Transexual Breast Cancer
ByCancer 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.
Greetings–
I am an FTM breast cancer survivor. I’m pretty sure that I’m not counted among the aforementioned three TG breast cancer survivors. I’ve never met or even heard of another FTM bc survivor. I have been on and off testosterone since 2000. I have a family history of breast cancer. I was diagnosed in May, 2006, and had a total bilateral mastectomy July 6th, five years ago today! I have yet to have revision surgery and I really need it as there is still breast tissue under my arms. At any rate, the surgery had the silver lining for me of removing my (enormous) breasts, though of course, I wished it would have come about a different way.
I am an Ashkenazi Jew and thus I am at high risk not only for breast cancer, but for ovarian cancer as well. Likewise, not having ovaries halves the chances for breast cancer reocurence. Also, I was bleeding through a full T dose. Consequently, I was offered a medically-necessary total hysto and went through with it in September, 2009.
I had tremendous complications, including two pulmonary embouli and pneumonia, and was in intensive care for 9 days. Nonetheless, I was able to find the silver lining in this situation as well, since getting rid of my ovaries and their estrogen not only stopped the bleeding, but improved my mood and emotional stability to a great degree. Incidentally, restarting T is what greatly ameliorated my severe intransigent depression.
So, T keeps me from being suicidally depressed, the removal of my ovaries further brightens and stabilizes my mood, and cancer facilitated the removal of my breasts.
I’d say that someone with a great deal of power wants very much for me to be, or at least, look, like a man.
Karlyn, I am sorry to hear about your difficulties but am glad that you have had a positive outcome. I began my own MTF transition almost 3 years ago. I am pleased with my result thus far but am having difficulties obtaining insurance coverage for typically female routine procedures for a 53 yr old. I will be filing an appeal in the coming days to see if I can persuade BCBS to accept that I need to be viewed (at least medically) as a woman. I hope you read this and that you are well.
Michelle