Although the male breast is different from the female breast, a small amount of breast tissue is still present. The breasts of adult males are similar to those of prepubertal girls. It’s just that breast tissue grows and develops in females, but not in males.
Because of the presence of breast tissue, men can also develop breast cancer. The types of breast cancer that males develop are essentially the same as those in females. Doctors used to think that male breast cancer was more serious than female breast cancer, but the findings now appear to be the same. The main problem is that male breast cancer is usually found later than female breast cancer, probably because men usually have little suspicion that abnormalities will develop in the area and because small areas of breast tissue are more difficult to detect abnormalities, making early detection of male breast cancer more difficult. This means that the tumor can spread quickly to surrounding tissues.
Which men are more likely to develop breast cancer?
Men under the age of 35 rarely develop breast cancer. The chance of breast cancer in men increases with age. Most breast cancers occur in men aged 60 to 70 years. Other factors that increase the chance of breast cancer in men include:
- Breast cancer in an immediate female relative;
- History of radiation exposure to the chest;
- Breast enlargement due to medication or hormone therapy (also called gynecomastia), and even some infections and poisoning;
- Use of estrogen;
- Rare genetic disorder, Klinefelter syndrome;
- Severe liver disease, such as cirrhosis;
- Testicular disease such as mumps orchitis, testicular injury, or undescended testes.
What are the symptoms?
Male breast cancer symptoms are similar to those of women. Most men with breast cancer are diagnosed with cancer after a lump is found in the breast.
But unlike women, men usually seek medical attention after symptoms have worsened, such as bleeding from the nipple, when the cancer may have spread.
How is it diagnosed and treated?
The same tests used to diagnose breast cancer in women are used in men: physical exam, mammogram, and biopsy (examining a sample of tissue under a microscope).
Likewise, the treatments used to treat female breast cancer are also used in men: surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, and targeted therapy. A major difference is that male breast cancer is much more responsive to endocrine therapy than women. About 90% of all male breast cancers have hormone receptors, meaning that hormone therapy is effective for most men.