Male Breast Cancer Information
Breast cancer in men is rare, but can occur.
Male breast cancer is the development of cancerous cells in the breast duct of a man’s body. Many people are not aware that it is possible for men to develop breast cancer, particularly because it most commonly occurs in women. But men do have breast tissue in which cancer can form.
Men have less breast tissue, so it is usually easier to detect the condition earlier in men than in women. However, because many men do not think they can get breast cancer, they often ignore breast lumps and do not seek medical treatment soon enough.
Causes of Breast Cancer in Men
There are a number of risk factors that have been shown to increase the likelihood of a male developing breast cancer, including:
- Family history of breast cancer
- Older age
- Inherited gene mutations
- Radiation exposure
- Alcohol abuse
- Liver disease
- Obesity
- Estrogen treatment
- Testicular conditions
- Klinefelter syndrome, a rare genetic, congenital disease
Symptoms of Male Breast Cancer
Men with breast cancer often experience symptoms very similar to the ones women with breast cancer experience, including:
- A lump in the breast tissue
- Breast pain
- Swelling, thickening, redness or scaling of breast skin
- Dimpling of the breast skin or nipple
- Abnormal changes in breast or nipple appearance
- An inverted nipple
- Abnormal pain in the breast or nipple
- Nipple discharge or bleeding
Diagnosing Breast Cancer in Men
Diagnosing male breast cancer typically involves:
- A physical examination
- A mammogram
- An image-guided biopsy
- Ultrasound
Treatments for Male Breast Cancer
A treatment plan for male breast cancer may involve:
- Surgery to remove breast tissue and/or lymph nodes
- Radiation therapy
- Hormone therapy
- Chemotherapy
Male Breast Cancer Survival Rates
According to the American Cancer Society, the five-year relative survival rates for breast cancer in men are as follows:
- Localized male breast cancer (where there’s no sign that the cancer has spread beyond the breast) – 95%
- Regional male breast cancer (where the cancer has spread to surrounding structures or lymph nodes) – 84%
- Distant male breast cancer (where the cancer has spread to distant areas of the body) – 20%
- All of these stages combined – 83%
A five-year relative survival rate indicates how likely it is that individuals with a specific condition will live for five years after being diagnosed, as compared to the overall population. So, for example, the 95% relative survival rate for localized male breast cancer means that men at this stage are, on average, approximately 95% as likely as men without the malignancy to live for at least five years past the date of their diagnosis.
It’s important to remember that while survival rates can be useful when discussing patient outcomes in a general sense, they have no bearing on a specific patient’s prognosis. So, if you’re diagnosed with male breast cancer or any other malignancy, you should speak to your physician about your concerns and request that they provide you with more customized predictions.
It's also important to keep in mind that these survival rates are based on patients who were diagnosed with male breast cancer at least five years ago. As such, they don’t take into account any treatment advances that have been made within the past five years, which may improve survival rates.
Offering Male Breast Cancer Treatment in Tampa Bay
Male patients showing signs of breast cancer should not feel embarrassed to make an appointment with a breast cancer specialist at Tampa General Hospital’s Cancer Institute. The sooner cancer is found, the easier it is to fully treat. Our experts will consider the cancer’s stage and a patient’s overall health and preferences.
Contact Tampa General Hospital at (800) 844-4554 to schedule a consultation with one of the experts at our Breast Cancer Center. You can feel confident knowing that U.S. News & World Report has repeatedly ranked Tampa General Hospital as the No. 1 hospital in Tampa Bay, and that our Breast Cancer Center is one of the state’s highest volume programs for treating breast cancer patients who require a hospital stay.
