Longread #168 -- Breast Cancer in the Marines -- 10/8/12

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which you've almost certainly noticed if you've seen the proliferation of pink being worn by athletes, celebrities, and ordinary people across the country. This week's longreads will all focus on cancer, although the articles will be about more types of cancer than just breast cancer. Today's article is about an often-overlooked population that gets breast cancer: men. In particular, it exposes a disturbingly high rate of breast cancer in Marines with a specific history of exposures at a particular base. While the story is in many ways tragic, it also will hopefully help researchers better understand the influence of environmental factors (such as exposure to certain chemicals) that can influence breast cancer risk.

"How a Bunch of Scrappy Marines Could Help Vanquish Breast Cancer" by Florence Williams
Published in Mother Jones, May/June 2012
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2012/05/camp-lejeune-marines-breast-cancer-florence-williams

Eric