Yes, Men Can Get Breast Cancer

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Male breast cancer is rare but men do have breast tissue so they need to be aware that they are also susceptible. The percentage of men getting this type of cancer is very low, about 0.20% to 1%. The testosterone in men prevents them from developing breasts but it consists of mainly small undeveloped ducts and a certain quantity of fat and connective tissue.

Breast tissue in men does not produce milk and is in the area behind the nipple. Breast cancer in men is similar to the cancer women get in that it is because of the unrestrained growth of cells in this tissue. Men of any age can develop this cancer but the cancer has been found mostly in men aged 60 to 70 years.

Just like female breast cancer, the causes of male breast cancer have not yet been fully determined. Genetics and environmental effects are thought to play a role. If a man has high levels of estrogen, which is uncommon, it may lead to an increased risk of cancer. If you have had radiation therapy to treat tumors in the chest area the exposure to the radiation increases your chances of developing breast cancer.

Also, if a man has Klinefelter’s syndrome, where an additional female chromosome leads to enlarged breasts and increased levels of estrogen, his risk of developing breast cancer rises strikingly. Cirrhosis of the liver also causes an increase in estrogen levels and so a man suffering from this is at risk. And if there are women in your family who have had breast cancer the chances are that you are much at risk.

The number of cases of male breast cancer is increasing and researchers are focusing more on this area of oncology. Until now the emphasis was on the treatment of women with breast cancer and since men were not alerted to the fact that they could also be at risk, very often the diagnosis was made at a later stage.

Researchers have established that men get the same kind of breast cancer as women. The symptoms they complained of, apart from enlarged breasts, was a painless lump in the breast or nipple inversion. The cancer is generally found behind the nipple in the breast tissue. Men have less breast tissue than women so the cancer might have spread to other parts of the body by the time it is diagnosed. Surgery is the most common treatment for incidences of male breast cancer, followed by radiation, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy.

So if any of the factors mentioned above apply to you then get a screening done and look out for unusual growths or developments in your breasts. Be advised that men can also develop breast cancer and take the necessary precautions.