Breast cancer in men
Male breast cancer can be early or advanced at diagnosis. Early breast cancer is cancer that is contained in the breast and may or may not have spread to the lymph nodes in the breast or armpit.
The most common breast cancer found in men is invasive ductal carcinoma. This cancer typically presents as a lump. However there are other symptoms that men should be aware of.
Can men really get breast cancer?
It may come as a surprise to most men to learn that they can develop breast cancer. While breast cancer is uncommon in men, it’s important for men who fnd a change in their breasts not to let embarrassment or uncertainty prevent them from seeing their doctor without delay. Early detection and treatment are the best way to survive the disease.
Types of breast cancer in men
Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
In DCIS (also known as intraductal carcinoma), cancer cells form in the breast ducts but do not grow through the walls of the ducts into the fatty tissue of the breast or spread outside the breast. DCIS accounts for about 1 in 10 cases of breast cancer in men. It is almost always curable with surgery.
Infiltrating (or invasive) ductal carcinoma (IDC)
This type of breast cancer breaks through the wall of the duct and grows through the fatty tissue of the breast. At this point, it can spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. At least 8 out of 10 male breast cancers are IDCs (alone or mixed with other types of invasive or in situ breast cancer). Because the male breast is much smaller than the female breast, all male breast cancers start relatively close to the nipple, so they are more likely to spread to the nipple. This is different from Paget disease as described below.
Infiltrating (or invasive) lobular carcinoma (ILC)
This type of breast cancer starts in the breast lobules (collections of cells that, in women, produce breast milk) and grows into the fatty tissue of the breast. ILC is very rare in men, accounting for only about 2% of male breast cancers. This is because men do not usually have much lobular tissue.
Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS)
In LCIS, abnormal cells form in the lobules, but they do not grow into the fatty tissue of the breast or spread outside the breast. Although LCIS is sometimes grouped with DCIS as a type of non-invasive breast cancer, most breast specialists think it is a risk factor for developing breast cancer rather than a true non-invasive cancer. As with invasive lobular carcinoma, LCIS is very rare in men.
Paget disease of the nipple
This type of breast cancer starts in the breast ducts and spreads to the nipple. It may also spread to the areola (the dark circle around the nipple). The skin of the nipple usually appears crusted, scaly, and red, with areas of itching, oozing, burning, or bleeding. The fingertips can be used to detect a possible lump within the breast.
Paget disease may be associated with DCIS or with infiltrating ductal carcinoma. It accounts for about 1% of female breast cancers and a higher percentage of male breast cancers.
Inflammatory breast cancer
Inflammatory breast cancer is an aggressive, but rare type of breast cancer. It causes the breast to be swollen, red, warm and tender rather than forming a lump. It can be mistaken for an infection of the breast. This is very rare in men.
causes breast cancer in men
It is not possible to say exactly what causes breast cancer in men. However, research has shown that there are some things that increase a man’s chance of developing breast cancer. These are called ‘risk factors’.
The most common risk factors are:
- getting older - breast cancer in men occurs more commonly in those aged 50 years and older
- having a strong family history-having a family history of female or male breast cancer or ovarian cancer on either side of the family can increase your risk of developing breast cancer.
Other less common factors that may increase risk include:
- high oestrogen levels
- Klinefelter’s syndrome
- some testicular disorders
- radiation exposure.
The triple test includes:
- clinical breast examination and taking a personal history
- imaging tests i.e. mammography and/or ultrasound
- non-surgical biopsy i.e. a fne needle aspiration and/or core biopsy.
If the imaging test shows an abnormal area, you may have a biopsy. This involves taking a sample of cells or tissue from the breast and examining them under a microscope.