Although breast cancer in men is rare, it is very real. Sadly, there are more men then ever developing it, although this number is still very small and fewer than 1 in 100 breast cancers occur in men. It is more common for a man to be over 60 to develop this rare form of cancer.
A man seems to have a greater risk if:
- they have a family history of close family members who have had breast cancer, or
- they have a close family member who has had breast cancer in both breasts, or
- a close family member was diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 40
- cancer of the ovary or colon has affected several members of the family
Also, men who are found to have high levels of oestrogen, or have been exposed to repeated doses of radiation, have been found to have an increased risk of developing breast cancer.
As in women there are different types of breast cancer that can affect a man. Invasive ductal carcinoma is the most common type of breast cancer in men and women, but other types of breast cancer are inflammatory breast cancer, Paget’s disease and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).
Other risk factors:
- men who are over 35 and obese
- a rare hereditary condition known as kleinfelter’s syndrome can increase the incidence of breast cancer
If a man is worried about his health and has any of the following symptoms, he should contact his doctor.
- discharge from the nipple
- the nipple feels tender or drawn in
- a lump is felt around the breast or around the nipple
- swollen lymph nodes under the arm
- swelling or ulceration of the breast
If the doctor is at all concerned then a referral will be made to a specialist. At the appointment with the specialist the procedures that are followed for women are the same for men, such as:
- physical examination of the breast
- a mammogram
- ultrasound
- fine needle aspiration and/or core biopsy
Once the specialist has all the information a diagnosis is made and the correct type of treatment will decided. The specialist will inform the man on the proposed type of treatment and discuss also the chance of side effects so that the patient can decide for himself whether to go ahead with any extra treatments.