Male breast cancer

Male breast cancer is rare — but it does happen.

In fact, 1 in 870 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. If breast cancer is caught early, the chance of being cured is high. But many men delay seeing their doctor when they begin experiencing symptoms. For this reason, male breast cancer is often diagnosed at a later stage.

Know the causes

A risk factor is anything that can make it more likely that a person will get breast cancer. If you have one or more risk factors, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll develop breast cancer. But knowing the risk factors makes it easier for you to reduce your risk.

• Age (older than 60)
• High oestrogen levels (as a result of chronic liver damage, obesity and some genetic conditions)
• Obesity
• Prolonged exposure to radiation
• Significant family history or genetic link
• Alcohol consumption

Signs of male breast cancer

The most important thing you can do to ensure successful treatment is to get treated early. If you have any of these symptoms, it’s a good idea to see your doctor.

Early signs of male breast cancer

• Painless lump or swelling behind the nipple – usually uneven and hard
• Pain (rarely)
• Nipple inversion or discharge
• Skin changes, such as dimpling or puckering, redness and scaling or developing an ulcer.

Other signs of male breast cancer

• Swollen lymph glands in the armpit
• Pain in the bone
• Feeling tired or achey all the time
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea
• Jaundice.                    

Download the tips for male breast cancer here

Sources:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/179457#symptoms (accessed June 2020)

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/breast-cancer-in-men/symptoms/ (accessed June 2020)

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer-in-men/detection-diagnosis-staging/signs-symptoms.html (accessed June 2020)

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