Breast cancer in men is rare. Its rarity has hindered the development of prospective clinical trials specifically for males.
While breast cancer overwhelmingly affects women, men also have breast tissue and are at risk of developing breast cancer.
Breast cancer in men is often diagnosed at a later stage than in women because men are less likely to be vigilant about breast health and may not recognize the signs and symptoms.
Here, we highlight all you need to know about male breast cancer.
What are the types of breast cancer in men?
The most common kinds of breast cancer in men are:
- Invasive ductal carcinoma. The cancer cells begin in the ducts and then grow outside the ducts into other parts of the breast tissue. Invasive cancer cells can also spread, or metastasize, to other parts of the body.
- Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a breast disease that may lead to invasive breast cancer. The cancer cells are only in the lining of the ducts and have not spread to other tissues in the breast.
What Are the Symptoms?
The symptoms of breast cancer in men are very similar to the symptoms in women. The most common symptom is a lump in the chest area, which is usually painless. Other symptoms include:
- Nipple changes: Changes in the nipple, such as inversion (nipple turning inward), redness, scaling, or discharge (bloody or clear), can be indicative of breast cancer.
- Breast pain: While not as common as in women, some men with breast cancer may experience breast pain.
- Swelling: Swelling or enlargement of one breast is a less common symptom but should not be ignored.
- Skin changes: Changes in the skin over the breast, such as dimpling or puckering, may occur.
- Lymph node enlargement: Swollen lymph nodes under the arm (axillary lymph nodes) may be a sign that breast cancer has spread.
What Are the Risk Factors?
The exact cause of breast cancer in men is not well understood, but some risk factors have been identified:
- Age. The risk for breast cancer increases with age. Most breast cancers are found after age 50.
- Genetic mutations. Inherited changes (mutations) in certain genes, such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, increase breast cancer risk.
- Family history. A man’s risk for breast cancer is higher if a close family member has had breast cancer.
- Radiation exposure. Men who had radiation therapy to the chest have a higher risk of getting breast cancer.
- Klinefelter syndrome. Klinefelter syndrome is a rare genetic condition in which a male has an extra X chromosome. This can lead to the body making higher levels of estrogen and lower levels of androgens (hormones that help develop and maintain male sex characteristics).
- Liver disease. Cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver can lower androgen levels and raise estrogen levels in men, increasing the risk of breast cancer.
- Hormonal factors: Hormonal imbalances, obesity, and hormone therapy for other medical conditions can also contribute to breast cancer risk.
How can breast cancer in men be treated?
Treatments for breast cancer in men and women are generally the same. Many men benefit from a combination of different treatments:
- Surgery. A mastectomy, in which the entire breast is removed, is the standard treatment for men. Men don’t typically have enough breast tissue to allow for breast-conserving surgery, which removes only the tumour. Additionally, the surgeon will remove one or more lymph nodes for a pathologic analysis to determine whether the cancer has spread.
- Radiation therapy. In males with breast cancer, radiation therapy is frequently performed following surgery since these tumours are frequently progressed and there is a substantial risk of recurrence without irradiation.
- Chemotherapy. This type of treatment uses medications that target cancer cells and can be administered orally or intravenously. Following surgery, chemotherapy is frequently administered to reduce the likelihood of the cancer returning. Chemotherapy may be the main treatment for males with advanced cancer or cancer that has metastasized (spread to other places of the body).
- Hormonal therapy. Some forms of breast cancer require particular hormones to develop. The actions of these hormones are blocked by hormonal therapy, which chokes the malignancy. The number of some male hormones in the body can occasionally be decreased by removing the testes or drug suppressing their action. Testosterone should never be taken by men who have breast cancer. After surgery, hormonal therapy is frequently given to reduce the likelihood of the cancer returning. It might serve as the main course of treatment for males with locally advanced or metastatic cancer.
- Biological therapy. This is a new approach. Some men have an excess of a protein that makes cancer spread quickly. Herceptin is a drug that’s been approved to treat metastatic breast cancer. It stops this protein from making the cancer cells grow. It may also boost your immune system, giving it more strength to fight the cancer itself.
It’s important for men to be aware of their breast health and seek medical attention if they notice any unusual changes in their breast tissue or nipple.
Early detection and treatment are lifesavers when it comes to life-threatening diseases such as cancer.
