HEALTHY LIFESTYLE · SEPTEMBER 2018
T
hough not as
prevalent as in
females, men can
get breast cancer
too.
When children are born,
both males and females
possess similar breast
tissue. Over time, however,
breast growth in males
slows and the breasts don't
develop at the same rate or
with the same complexity as
in females.
High testosterone and low
estrogen levels at puberty
slow and ultimately stop
breast development in
males, although some
milk ducts continue
to exist. They remain
undeveloped and contain
no lobules. Despite the
obvious differences, breast
problems can occur in men
and, although quite rare,
breast cancer can develop.
In the U.S., less than one
percent of all breast cancers
have been diagnosed in
men, with the lifetime risk
of developing breast cancer
being about 1 in 1000.
In women, however, the
numbers are 1 in 8 in the
U.S.
2018 estimates are that
some 2,550 new cases of
invasive breast cancer will
be diagnosed. Four hundred
and eighty of those cases
will result in death, with
mortality rates that are
much lower for men than
for women.
Survival rates for men are on par with what they
are for women with the same stage of breast
cancer at the time of diagnosis. However, men
are often diagnosed at a much later stage. That
could be because men are less likely to report
unusual symptoms and may be more reluctant to
seek a doctor’s advice, which leads to delays in
treatment.
HOW RACE AND ETHNICITY PLAY
ROLES IN BREAST CANCER
Breast cancer incidence in men varies by race
and ethnicity in the U.S. Black men have the
highest breast cancer incidence overall, while
Asian/Pacific Islander men have the lowest rate of
incidence. The median age of diagnosis is around
sixty-eight.
WARNING SIGNS OF BREAST
CANCER IN MEN
The most common sign of breast cancer in men
is a painless lump or thickening in the breast/
chest area. In fact, any change in the breast,
including discharge on or around the nipple area,
may be a warning sign of breast cancer.
Hard knots, lumps, or thickening in the chest or
underarm are other warning signs, along with
a change in the size or shape of the breast. Any
dimpling, redness, or puckering of the skin could
be cause for concern. Inverted nipples may be
another important symptom to consult your
doctor about. Some of these signs can be easier
to detect in men than in women because men
have much less breast tissue than women do.
TYPES OF BREAST CANCER
FOUND IN MEN
ɭ ɭ Invasive ductal carcinomas: cancers that
begin in the milk ducts
ɭ ɭ Invasive lobular carcinomas: cancers that
begin in the lobules of the breast
RARE BREAST CANCERS IN MEN
In rare cases, men are diagnosed with ductal
carcinoma in situ (a non-invasive breast cancer),
inflammatory breast cancer, or Paget's disease of
the breast or of the nipple.
There are also several benign breast conditions
that can be found in men but are most common
in women. They include gynecomastia,
By Dr. Carlos Soliz
26 HEALTHY MAGAZINE