Breast cancer in men

Breast cancer is a rare condition among men with a reported incidence of about one percent. Nevertheless, it is thought to behave similarly in both genders.

The most common symptoms for men with breast cancer include:

• lump in the breast that is nearly always painless
• oozing from the nipple (a discharge)
• a nipple that is pulled into the breast (called nipple retraction)
• swelling of the breast (gynecomastia)
• a sore (ulcer) in the skin of the breast
• lump or swelling under the arm
• a rash on or around the nipple

If you have any of these symptoms it is important to go to your doctor straight away. Finding a cancer early gives the best chance of successful treatment.

Anything that increases the risk of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Different cancers have different risk factors. Having one or more of these risks factors doesn’t mean that you will definitely get breast cancer. The risk factors are similar to the risks factors for female breast cancer. They include:

• getting older
• being exposed to x-rays and radiotherapy
• having a family history of breast cancer or an inherited breast cancer gene 

Other risk factors are specific to breast cancer in men. These include having high hormone oestrogen levels and a rare condition called Klinefelter's syndrome. 

Treatment for breast cancer in men is similar to the treatment for women. It may include for example surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy and targeted cancer medicines. The treatment you have depends on a number of factors. This includes:

• the size of the cancer and whether it has spread (the stage)
• how abnormal the cells look under the microscope (the grade)
• whether the cancer cells have receptors for particular hormones
• your general health and other medical conditions you might have

Your doctor will discuss the pros and cons of the treatment options with you. Do ask questions so that you understand which treatments you are being offered, and why. 

If you feel reluctant to talk about cancer, you are not alone. We are a small dedicated team committed to help men and their relatives and families to ensure that you have a support structure to help you.