Male breast cancer is rare but most often occurs between ages 50 and 65, especially in men with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer. Although it is much more common in women, men can also develop breast cancer since they have mammary glands and small amounts of female hormones.

Because symptoms are usually mild and preventive screening is not routinely performed in men, diagnosis often happens at a later stage. This delay can make treatment more difficult and lower the chances of recovery.

Treatment for male breast cancer is similar to that used in women and typically involves surgery and chemotherapy. However, due to late detection in most cases, the cure rate tends to be lower.

Main symptoms

The main symptoms of male breast cancer include:

A painless lump or mass in the chest, behind or below the nipple or areola
Inverted nipple
Localized chest pain that appears after a lump develops
Wrinkled or dimpled skin
Discharge of blood or fluid from the nipple
Redness or flaking of the skin on the breast or nipple
Changes in breast size
Swelling of lymph nodes in the armpit

Most cases of male breast cancer do not present easily noticeable symptoms. For this reason, men with a family history of breast cancer should inform their doctor and undergo regular screenings after age 50 to detect early changes that may indicate cancer.

Although rare, male breast cancer can also be linked to other factors besides family history, such as estrogen use, severe liver disease, testicular disorders, breast tissue enlargement caused by certain medications, and long-term radiation exposure.

Confirming a diagnosis

Male breast cancer is diagnosed by a breast specialist through tests such as mammography, breast ultrasound, and biopsy.

The doctor may also recommend additional tests, including blood tests (especially genetic ones), chest X-rays, bone scans, and CT scans, to determine how far the disease has spread. These exams help confirm whether the changes in the breast are cancerous or benign, as in the case of gynecomastia, which involves the enlargement of male breast tissue.

These changes may also indicate the presence of benign tumors, such as fibroadenomas, which are confined to breast tissue and generally pose no risk.

Different types

Different types of male breast cancer are:

Ductal carcinoma in situ

Cancer cells form inside the breast ducts but do not invade surrounding tissue. This type is almost always curable with surgery.

Invasive ductal carcinoma

Cancer cells spread beyond the duct walls into the glandular breast tissue. This is the most common form of male breast cancer, accounting for about 80% of cases, and it can spread to other organs.

Invasive lobular carcinoma

This type develops in the lobules of the breast and is the rarest form of breast cancer in men.

Paget’s disease

Paget’s disease starts in the breast ducts and causes crusting, scaling, itching, swelling, redness, and bleeding of the nipple. It may occur alongside ductal carcinoma in situ or invasive ductal carcinoma.

Inflammatory breast cancer

This rare form of male breast cancer causes inflammation that leads to redness, swelling, and a burning sensation instead of forming a lump.

The exact cause of male breast cancer is unknown, but risk factors include older age, a history of benign breast disease, testicular disorders, chromosomal abnormalities such as Klinefelter syndrome, anabolic steroid or estrogen use, radiation exposure, alcohol abuse, and obesity.

Treatment options

Treatment for male breast cancer depends on the stage and severity of the disease but usually begins with surgery to remove all affected tissue, including the nipple and areola with a procedure called mastectomy. Nearby lymph nodes are often removed as well.

If the cancer is advanced and it is not possible to remove all cancer cells surgically, other treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or hormone therapy (for example, with tamoxifen) may be recommended.

Can male breast cancer be cured?

There is a higher chance of cure when male breast cancer is detected early. However, because it is often diagnosed in more advanced stages, the success rate tends to be lower.

Tumor size and lymph node involvement also affect prognosis. Tumors larger than 2.5 cm or those that spread to multiple lymph nodes are associated with a lower chance of cure.

Similar to women, Black men and those with BRCA2 gene mutations tend to have reduced survival rates.

Improving recovery chances

The best way to improve the chances of recovery from male breast cancer is through early detection.

Men should perform regular breast self-exams, just as women do, to check for lumps or changes in breast tissue that could be early signs of cancer.

Male Breast Cancer: Symptoms, Diagnosis, Types & Treatment