Male Breast Cancer Symptoms

Men too have breast tissues and can get various types of male breast cancer. This means men are prone to developing breast cancer too, just like females, even though their risk is about a hundred times lesser than females. About 1% of all cases are those of male breast cancer.

Growth of malignant cells in the breast tissues of men is known as male breast cancer. This type of tumor can occur in men of any age, although most of the cases diagnosed are in men aged between 60 and 70 years. The risk factors for male breast cancer include exposure to radiations beyond the safety limit, heredity, that is to say, a family history of breast cancer, and high levels of estrogen, which diseases like cirrhosis, a liver disease, brings. Klinefelter’s syndrome – the abnormal presence of two X chromosomes with one Y chromosome - is a big risk factor, too. Mutation of genes also increases the risk of developing male breast cancer. Obesity and alcoholism are other common causes.

About 30% cases of male breast cancer are due to heredity, compared to just 5% to 10% in females. Breast cancer genes – BRCA1 and BRCA2 can increase the risk of men developing the tumor, if the genes show defects or mutation. Genetic mutation is usually not inherited, and is acquired during the course of your life. Radiation therapies or operations may be one cause for these mutations.

Men With Breast Cancer

Just as in females, the presence of a lump is a symptom for male breast cancer. It is often painless, and may be occur along with increasing thickness of breasts. The breast skin may appear pitted and show the peau d’orange syndrome. Changes in the nipple, fluid discharge from nipples, inverted nipples, redness around the nipples, and change in the breast skin texture are all symptoms of male breast cancer.

You should instantly get an enlarged breast or other abnormalities examined. For diagnosis, clinical breast examination, biopsies, mammograms, breast ultrasounds, even nipple discharge examination can be adopted. Mammograms are said to work better in men than in women because females have a dense breast tissue which makes the process difficult. If the biopsy reveals cancer cell presence, getting the breast tissue tested for presence of estrogen and progesterone is a good idea, since these female hormones can stimulate cancer growth, as is the case with 80% to 90% male breast cancer cases, and can be stopped at source.

Men can have non-invasive or in situ cancers, which have not spread outside the breast area, or invasive tumors that can spread out. Removal of lump in non invasive cancers – which is usually the first stage of cancer – is recommended. Invasive cancers vary from Stage I to Stage IV, depending upon how advanced the cancer is. Stage I cancers almost always get treated. Mortality rate keeps going higher, depending upon the stage. By Stage IV, the cancer becomes metastatic and spreads to body organs.

Treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy and hormonal therapy are adopted to control cancer growth in the last stage, when total cure becomes difficult. For all other stages, treating male breast cancer is hardly different from treating female breast cancer.

A healthy lifestyle throughout your life, with minimal alcohol intake increases your chances of survival ten folds. Early detection is also pivotal to high survival rates. Telling your closest friends and family members is necessary. If you try to hide your disease, even from your children, you will take undue stress up on yourself. It is also important to maintain a healthy lifestyle with adequate rest during your treatment, and it is never a shame to ask friends or family for any sort of help or support that you might need. Your cancer is curable..