Though far less common than in women,
it is possible for men to develop breast cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 2,000 new cases
of invasive breast cancer are diagnosed in men each year and approximately 450 men die from breast cancer annually.
Male breast cancers account for approximately 1% of all breast cancer cases.
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Symptoms and Types of Male Breast Abnormalities
While most male breast changes are due to benign
(non-cancerous) abnormalities, such as gynecomastia (non-cancerous tissue
growth), men should report any persistent breast changes to their
physicians for clinical evaluation. Symptoms of male breast cancer may
include a breast lump, swelling, skin dimpling or puckering, nipple
retraction (the nipple turns inward), redness or scaling of the nipple or
breast skin, and nipple discharge.
Signs of Male Breast
Cancer |
- Abnormal lumps or swelling in either the
breast, nipple, or chest muscle
- Skin dimpling or puckering
- Nipple retraction (turning inward)
- Redness or scaling of the nipple or
breast skin
- Nipple discharge
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Both men and women have breast tissue. Until puberty, girls and boys
have a small amount of breast tissue with a few ducts under the nipple and areola (the
pigmented region surrounding the nipple). When a girl reaches puberty, her ovaries produce
hormones that cause breast ducts to grow, cause lobules (milk-producing glands) to form at
the ends of the ducts, and increase the amount of stroma (fatty and connective tissues
surrounding the ducts and lobules). When a boy reaches puberty, his testicles produce
hormones that prevent further breast tissue growth.
Because men usually have much less breast tissue than women, breast lumps and other
abnormalities are often easier to find on men than on women. However, because breast
cancer is far less common in men and many men believe that only women get breast cancer,
men often ignore the early signs of breast cancer, attributing the symptoms to infection
or another cause. Some men are embarrassed to find a breast lump and delay making an
appointment with their physician. Since men usually have less breast tissue than women,
male breast cancer does not need to grow far to intrude into the skin and the muscles
underneath the breast. Men who experience signs of breast cancer should see a physician.
The most common breast abnormality in men is a benign (non-cancerous) condition called
gynecomastia. Gynecomastia is an increase in the amount of breast tissue. Gynecomastia is
most common in teenage boys and is related to changes in the hormone balance during
adolescence. A man with gynecomastia may have a button-like or disk-like growth under the
nipple and areola (the pigmented region surrounding the nipple) that can be felt and often
seen. Older men may also develop gynecomastia due to changes in their hormone balances.
While gynecomastia is usually symmetrical (similar in both breasts), in some cases it may
develop asymmetrically (one breast is more affected) or even unilaterally (only one breast
is affected).
Less commonly, gynecomastia may be caused by tumors or diseases of certain endocrine
(hormone-producing) glands that cause a man's body to produce more estrogen (a main
female hormone). While some estrogen is normally produced in males, the amount is usually
too small to cause breast growth. Because the liver aids in hormone metabolism, liver
diseases may change a man's hormone balance and cause gynecomastia or breast cancer.
Some medications, such as certain drugs used to treat ulcers, heartburn, high blood
pressure or heart failure, may also cause gynecomastia. A few studies have suggested that
some cases of gynecomastia may be caused by the use of recreational drugs such as
marijuana, though researchers have not conclusively linked gynecomastia to recreational
drugs.
In addition, Klinefelter's syndrome, a rare
genetic condition, may cause gynecomastia. Klinefelter's syndrome may also
increase the risk for male breast cancer (see the section on risk factors for male breast cancer below for more
information). While gynecomastia is the most common breast abnormality in
men, other benign tumors that are common in women, such as fibroadenomas and papillomas,
occur in men in rare occasions.
According to the National Cancer Institute, the
types of breast cancer most commonly diagnosed in men are similar to those
found in women. The most common type of male breast cancer is infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC; also
called invasive ductal carcinoma). IDC is a cancer that has spread past
the ducts of the breast. Ductal carcinoma in situ
(DCIS; also called intraductal carcinoma) has also been seen in men. DCIS
is an early stage breast cancer confined to the breast ducts. Rare cancers
such as inflammatory breast cancer
(a cancer in which the breast appears red and inflamed) and Paget's disease of the nipple (a cancer that
begins in the breast ducts and spreads to the skin of the nipple and
areola) have also been seen in men. However, lobular
carcinoma in situ
(LCIS; also called lobular neoplasia), a marker for increased breast cancer risk in women,
has not been seen in men.
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