Men sucking breasts will not reduce cancer risk – Dr Naa Aryeetey

A Senior Resident doctor at the Radiotherapy Department of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Dr Naa Adorkor Aryeetey has debunked claims that the sucking of breasts by men reduces a woman’s risk of getting breast cancer.

She said that though the sucking of breast by men does not increase the risk of getting breast cancer, it does not reduce breast cancer risks as stipulated by the masses.

“There is a single truth. Breastfeeding a baby will reduce your risk of getting cancer. Breastfeeding a man on the other hand will not reduce the risk but it will not increase your risk either,”

Delivering her remarks at a breast cancer seminar in Accra Monday, Dr. Naa Adorkor Aryeetey explained that a hormone that reduces estrogen in women during breastfeeding. She added that same does not happen when a man sucks a woman’s breast.



“The reason is that when you are breastfeeding a baby you produce a certain hormone that reduces the estrogen in your blood and so you are protected. When you are breastfeeding a man, that does not happen, and so you are not protected,”

She added that claims by people that sucking of breasts by men is “a fallacy. It is one of those myths associated with breast cancer.”

The breast cancer seminar took place at the Accra City Hotel to mark its 30th anniversary. It featured presentations from oncologists and radiotherapists at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital on the causes, symptoms, effects and treatment of breast cancer. Some breast cancer survivors also shared their experiences.