Understanding Male Breast Cancer

Cancer occurs when cells in the body change (mutate) and grow out of control. These cells can form lumps called tumors. They can also spread into nearby tissues and to other parts of the body. Cancer that starts in cells that make up the breast is called breast cancer. Breast cancer is rare in men, but it does happen.

Experts are not exactly sure what causes male breast cancer. But certain things can increase your risk. These include:

• Being over age 60.
• Having had radiation to the chest to treat a different cancer.
• Having high levels of the hormone estrogen.
• Having a family history of breast cancer (in male or female relatives).
• Having certain gene mutations, like the breast cancer genes called BRCA1 and BRCA2.
• Having Klinefelter syndrome, an inherited condition.
• Heavy alcohol use.
• Having liver disease.
• Being overweight or obese.

Symptoms of breast cancer in men are a lot like the symptoms in women. They include:

• A lump or thickening in the breast or under the arm that can be seen or felt. (Most often it is painless.)
• A change in skin over the breast or nipple, like redness or scaly-looking skin.
• Dimpling or puckering of the skin over the breast.
• A nipple that becomes pulled in (retracted).
• Irritation or pain in the nipple area.
• Discharge from a nipple.

Many of these may be caused by other health problems. Still, it's important to see a doctor if you have these symptoms. Only a doctor can tell if you have cancer.

There are a number of treatments for breast cancer. The best treatment for you depends on things like the type of breast cancer you have, where the tumor is, and if the tumor is affected by certain hormones, like estrogen. The stage and grade of the cancer also matters. The stage is how much cancer there is and how far it has spread (metastasized) in your body. The grade is used as part of staging. It gives you an idea how fast the cancer will grow and spread.

The most common treatments for male breast cancer are:

• Surgery. Most men have surgery to remove the entire breast containing the tumor. Nearby lymph nodes and sometimes chest wall muscle may also be removed.
• Radiation therapy. High-energy X-rays are used to kill cancer cells in the breast or slow their growth.
• Chemotherapy. Strong medicines are used to kill cancer cells throughout the body or slow their growth.
• Hormone therapy. Medicines are used to keep certain hormones the body makes from helping cancer cells grow.
• Targeted therapy. These medicines focus on, attack, and kill cancer cells while limiting the damage to healthy cells.
• Immunotherapy. These medicines help your immune system find and kill cancer cells.

Many times, more than one kind of treatment is used.

To learn more about male breast cancer, these resources may help.

• American Cancer Society. Go online at www.cancer.org or call 800-227-2345.
• National Cancer Institute. Go online towww.cancer.gov or call 800-4-CANCER (800-422-6237).