Signs & Symptoms of Breast Cancer in Men

While breast cancer strikes women much more often than it strikes men, 1 percent of breast cancers diagnosed each year are found in men. Almost 1,700 cases of breast cancer were found in men across America in 2005. Because society views breast cancer as a women's disease, many men who have symptoms of breast cancer ignore the signs until they become obvious. Early detection and treatment is important in male breast cancer to improve the patient's survival rate.

There is a common misconception in the world that men do not have breast tissue. Men do have breast tissue, though it is in a much smaller amount than women have. Because of the similarity between men's breast tissue and women's breast tissue, it is possible for a man to contract all of the same types of breast cancer that a woman can get. The one difference between men and women breast cancer is that men rarely get the type of breast cancer that occurs in the milk glands, however, it does happen.

Most male breast cancer is diagnosed in men between 60-70 years old. In addition to age being a factor, a family history of breast cancer should also be considered. Approximately 20 percent of men who are diagnosed with breast cancer have a female in their immediate family who has also had breast cancer. Men who have liver disease are at a higher risk for developing breast cancer, as are men who have undergone estrogen treatment for other conditions including prostrate cancer. There are also certain genetic disorders that have been shown to place men at an increased risk for breast cancer. One of those disorders is Klinefelter's syndrome. Men who have this disorder have a higher ration of estrogen in their bodies, which puts them at an increased risk of developing breast cancer.

A primary sign of breast cancer in a man is a lump that can be seen or felt. Because a man's breasts are so much smaller than a woman's breast, lumps are usually more visible and more easily felt. Anytime a man feels a lump or notices a puckering of his breast, he should be seen by a doctor to have it evaluated. Another sign of breast cancer in a man is nipple discharge, nipple inversion or an itchiness that is constant and does not go away.

The survival rate for male breast cancer depends on how advanced the disease is when it is discovered. It ranges from 96 percent to 24 percent depending on how much the cancer has invaded the surrounding tissues or other parts of the body. Men who discover any of the signs of breast cancer should make an appointment with their health care provider to have it evaluated. Early detection is the key to effective treatment.