Stories
Men Can Get Breast Cancer Too: Key Symptoms and What You Need to Know
- •Male breast cancer accounts for about one per cent of all cases, making it uncommon but critical to recognize early.
- •Men possess small amounts of breast ductal tissue beneath the nipple, which can undergo abnormal cancerous changes.
- •Common warning signs include a painless lump or thickening near the nipple, inverted nipples, discharge, or skin changes.
- •Key risk factors include older age between 60 and 70, inherited BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations, and a family history of breast cancer.
- •Delayed diagnosis is often caused by a lack of awareness, social stigma, and the misconception that breast cancer exclusively affects women.
Key Questions Answered
The most frequent warning sign is a painless lump or thickening in the breast tissue, usually located close to the nipple. Additional symptoms include an inward-turning or retracted nipple, unusual or bloody nipple discharge, skin dimpling, persistent redness or scaling, changes in breast shape, and swelling or lumps in the armpit.
Male breast cancer is often diagnosed late due to limited general awareness that men can develop the disease, leading people to mistake lumps for harmless swelling or injuries. Social stigma, embarrassment, and the widespread misconception that breast cancer is exclusively a female condition also cause men to delay seeking medical evaluation.
Advanced age is a primary risk factor, with many cases diagnosed in men between 60 and 70. Other key risk factors include inherited genetic mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2, a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, previous chest radiation exposure, hormonal imbalances, and certain liver or testicular conditions.
