This disease affects 300 men in the UK each year.

Male breast cancer

Dr Chris says: "Male breast cancer affects 300 men in the UK each year, and kills 70. This is a high percentage, and it's partly because so many men take so long to see their doctor after first noticing any changes in their body. In this case the average is 6-9 months. So the message is clear : men, if you notice changes in your chest or nipples, SEE YOUR DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY"

Male breast cancer
Although breast cancer is mainly a phenomenon found in woman (nearly 42,000 cases each year in the UK), it can affect men as well. There are 300 cases each year in the UK.

The causes of breast cancer in men are not yet fully understood, however some men do seem to be at greater risk than others.

This rare cancer most often occurs in men over the age of 60. It is more common in men who have:
  • several close members of their family (male or female) who have had breast cancer, or
  • a close relative diagnosed with breast cancer in both breasts, or
  • a relative diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 40.


Having several members of the family with cancer of the ovary or colon may also increase a man’s risk of developing breast cancer.

In rare circumstances, men with high oestrogen levels, or men who have been exposed to repeated doses of radiation (particularly at a young age) may be at an increased risk of developing breast cancer. Men who have a rare genetic condition called Klinefelter’s syndrome, and have an extra female chromosome present, have an increased risk of developing breast cancer.

Possible symptoms
The most common symptom is a lump in the breast area. However, other signs may occur such as a change in the size or shape of the breast, an ulcer on the skin, nipple discharge, or turning-in of the nipple (inversion). Another possible symptom is a rash on the nipple or surrounding area.

Diagnosis
In the first instance if you feel you may have these sysmptoms please go to your doctor, who will examine you. Tests may be needed to confirm any diagnosis, these included mamogram, ultrasound scan or removal and testing of possibly infected cells.

Treatments
These are similar to the treatments for women with breast cancer, except that due to the small size of affected tissue in men it is difficult to remove just the lump (lumpectomy). Therefore removal of the all the breast tissue and nipple is usually required.

Other treatments include hormone therapy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. As this is such a rare cancer, there have been few research studies into the treatments.

More Information
The excellent web site of Cancerbackup has detailed information about male breast cancer here:
Male breast cancer on Cancerbackup

Also see the NHS Direct web site:
Male breast cancer on NHS Direct
This content was created on Mon 9 October 2006

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