Male Breast Cancer Life Insurance

If you are a male with breast cancer looking for life insurance, male breast cancer life insurance approval may be a significant concern for you. Any form of cancer is a serious medical concern that may affect your life insurance eligibility.

Life insurance with male breast cancer is a concern for men affected by breast cancer.

Can men get breast cancer?

Many people don’t realize men have breast tissue and they are at risk of developing breast cancer.

While most people are aware of breast cancer in women, fewer people know that men can also develop breast cancer. Although less common than female breast cancer, male breast cancer is still a significant medical event that may need to receive medical treatment.

In the United States, almost 2,500 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in men annually. Nearly 500 men a year will die from breast cancer.

The lifetime risk of developing male breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000. Breast cancer is 100 times less common in men than women.

What is breast cancer in men?

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that starts from cells located in the breast. A malignant tumor is a group of cancer cells that grow into and invade healthy surrounding tissue. These cancer cells may spread (metastasize) to other areas of your body.

Cells in all parts of your body may develop cancer.

What causes breast cancer in men?

Men, just like women, have breast tissue and ducts located under the areola (the area around the nipple) and nipple. Without getting too medically involved, breast cancer can develop.

What are the risk factors for developing male breast cancer?

Physical and genetic factors contribute to the development of breast cancer in men. Some are as follows:

Age – The risk of developing breast cancer goes up as men grow older. The average age for the diagnosis of male breast cancer in the United States is 68 years old.

A family history of breast cancer – If family members have been diagnosed with breast cancer, it increases your chances of developing breast cancer.

Inherited Genetics – Certain gene mutations result in an increased chance of developing breast cancer.

Klinefelter Syndrome – This is a congenital condition present at birth affecting about 1 in 1,000 men.

Radiation Exposure – If your chest area has been treated with radiation (such as to treat lymphoma), you have an increased chance of developing male breast cancer.

Alcohol – Heavy drinking and high alcohol usage in the past increase the chance of developing male breast cancer.

Liver Disease – The liver plays an important role in the production of proteins and hormones in the body. Liver disease can cause higher estrogen levels, which can contribute to breast cancer susceptibility.

Estrogen Treatment – Men who have received treatment for prostate cancer with estrogen treatments have an increased risk of developing breast cancer.

Obesity – Fat cells in the body can convert male hormones into female hormones, leading to an increased risk of breast cancer.

Can breast cancer in men spread?

Breast cancer can spread to any part of the body. Breast cancer is commonly spread through the lymph nodes and the lymphatic system throughout your body.

Once cancer cells have spread to the lymph nodes, there is an increasing probability that the cancer cells will have traveled into your bloodstream and spread (metastasized).

Once metastasized, there is a much higher probability you may be diagnosed with cancer in other parts of your body.

I have a lump in my breast; is it cancer?

Not necessarily. Some lumps in the breast are benign tumors. Benign tumors are abnormal lumps or masses tissue in the breast.

Benign tumors are not life-threatening and will not spread outside the breast. Benign tumors are common in women but are rare in men.

How is breast cancer in men medically classified?

The medical terms for breast cancer in men are as follows:

• Benign – Abnormal lumps or masses of tissue that pose no serious health threat.
• Carcinoma – Cancer that begins in the epithelial cells of organs, such as the breast. Almost all breast cancers are diagnosed as carcinomas.
• Adenocarcinoma – This carcinoma begins in the glandular tissue of the breast.
• Carcinoma in situ – This describes the early stage of cancer, where it is confined to the layer of cells where the cancer began. The cells have not grown or invaded deeper tissues of the breast or spread to other parts of your body.
• Carcinoma in situ is sometimes called noninvasive or pre-invasive breast cancer (if left untreated, it may develop into invasive breast cancer).
• Invasive carcinoma – Invasive (or infiltrating) carcinoma is where the cancer has grown beyond the layer of cells where the cancer started. Breast cancers in men are almost always invasive carcinomas.
• Sarcoma – A sarcoma starts in connective tissues, such as fat tissue, muscle tissue, or blood vessels. Sarcomas in the breast are rare.

What causes breast cancer in men?

Hormone levels – Anything that causes a change in hormone levels may cause your body to produce abnormal cells that may lead to cancer.

Gene changes and mutations – The genes in our bodies control how cells grow, divide, and eventually die. Gene defects caused by DNA mutations can cause cancer formation in your body.

Acquired gene mutations – Our environment and exposure to cancer-causing chemicals can lead to cancer. Whether it is the food we eat, the chemicals we are exposed to, or radiation treatments (x-ray, etc.) we are exposed to over time, these can lead to a diagnosis of cancer later in life.

Inherited gene mutations – Some mutated genes are inherited from our parents. When this happens, we have a higher chance of developing cancer.

What types of life insurance would I qualify for?

Depending on your medical history, you may qualify for all types of life insurance – term, whole life, and universal life.

Depending on your stage of cancer and the time since being diagnosed with cancer, your policy may be declined, postponed, or approved.

Will I be able to get life insurance if I have male breast cancer?

Yes, there are life insurance options with male breast cancer. Because any form of cancer is a serious medical problem, the life insurance companies will review your male breast cancer condition and the rest of your health information carefully before issuing a life insurance policy.

What kind of life insurance will I be able to purchase with male breast cancer?

Term Life Insurance  – Because male breast cancer can spread to other parts of your body, the insurance companies will be more cautious when issuing term life insurance policies when you are diagnosed with this condition.

You may be able to qualify for most term life insurance policies up to a standard health rating.

Guaranteed Issue Whole Life (GIWL) – This insurance is available to male breast cancer survivors. GIWL policies have lower death benefits (face value) and a graded period (1-2 years) before you are eligible for the guaranteed death benefit. During this graded period, most life insurance companies return your premium (with 8-10% interest) if a death occurs.

If the insured were to die of an accident in the two-year graded period, the life insurance policy would pay out the full death benefit.

Guaranteed Issue Term Life (GITL) – This insurance is available to male breast cancer patients and survivors. GITL policies come in two face amounts – $25,000 and $50,000. Just like GIWL, there is a two-year graded period before you are eligible for the guaranteed death benefit. If the death occurred during this graded period, either a return of premium or a percentage of the face amount would be paid to the beneficiaries.

Accidental Death Insurance (AD) – This insurance is also available to male breast cancer patients and survivors. Although this coverage is available and is very affordable, AD life insurance may be a secondary choice to any other life insurance options available.

In ages 18 through 45, accidental death is the number one cause of death. So, even though you have male breast cancer, you also have a statistically high chance of dying in an accident driving back and forth to the hospital for treatment of your male breast cancer.

Depending on your tolerance for risk, a Term, GIWL, GITL, or AD policy may be an appropriate life insurance option for you with your male breast cancer diagnosis.

Who should I purchase my life insurance from?

Male breast cancer is a unique health condition that requires a life insurance agent to be knowledgeable in underwriting procedures and practices. Most life insurance agents have not written life insurance policies for high-risk male breast cancer patients and survivors.

You will want an agent who has worked with male breast cancer life insurance candidates, who has researched insurance company eligibility, and who has spoken with underwriters about this medical condition in the past.

At Life-Wealth-Win, we are uniquely qualified to help you purchase life insurance if you have male breast cancer.

What are my first steps to purchase life insurance if I have male breast cancer?

Your first step would be to call us so we can understand your entire medical history. We must know your age, height, weight, medical problems, prescriptions, and other items asked on your life insurance application.

After gathering all your information, we will approach insurance company underwriters with your information to see who will offer you the most life insurance coverage at the best rates.

When should I purchase life insurance with male breast cancer?

The earlier you purchase life insurance with male breast cancer, the better.

As you grow older, you risk more medical complications, which will make your life insurance premiums increase or make you ineligible for life insurance in the future.

With male breast cancer, the sooner you get life insurance coverage, the better. Purchase as much as you can afford for the longest length of time you can afford it.

Conclusion

If you have been diagnosed with male breast cancer, call us to help you understand your male breast cancer life insurance approval options.

At Life Wealth Win, we specialize in healthy to high-risk life insurance cases. We can help you understand your life insurance options with male breast cancer.

We work with clients across the nation to get the best life insurance rates possible. If you have male breast cancer, we can help you get the best life insurance rates.