Male breast cancer starts developing in the breast tissue of men. Your chest contains breast tissue, which can support cancer cell growth.
Surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and hormone therapy are all options for treatment. With the help of a breast cancer doctor, one can get the proper treatment and improve outcomes significantly. The outlook is determined by the stage of your malignancy.
In this blog, we will see more details about male breast cancer.
What is Male Breast Cancer?
Male breast cancer is a kind of cancer that develops in the breast tissue of the chest. Men do not have milk-producing breasts, but they do have fatty tissue, ducts, and breast cells that can develop into cancer. Cancer arises when cells in these tissues multiply uncontrolled, resulting in a tumor.
Causes of Breast Cancer
Following are some of the major causes of breast cancer:
- Increasing Age
- First-degree male or female relatives with a history of BRCA2 breast cancer or multiple relatives with a history of colon, prostate, or ovarian cancer.
- Elevated estrogen levels
- Testicular disorders
- Klinefelter’s syndrome – an uncommon disorder in which men have two X chromosomes and one Y chromosome (XXY rather than XY).
The following lifestyle factors somewhat increase the risk of breast cancer:
- Drinking booze.
- Being overweight.
- Lack of physical activity.
Symptoms of Breast Cancer
The symptoms of breast cancer include:
- A thickening or lump of painless skin on the chest.
- Changes in the skin covering the breast, such as dimpling, puckering, scaling, or color change.
- Changes in the nipple, such as changes in skin tone or scaling, or a nipple that is turning inward.
- Discharge or bleeding from the nipple.
Risk Factors of Breast Cancer
Below are some of the major risk factors of breast cancer:
- Family History: The risk of breast cancer increases for you when you have a parent or your sibling with breast cancer.
- Estrogen-containing medications: Taking estrogen-containing medications may increase your cancer risk. These include hormone replacement therapy, as well as medications used for feminization.
- Testicular issues: If you have previously received radiation therapy to the chest or torso, you are more likely to develop breast cancer.
- Liver Disease: Certain medical diseases, such as liver cirrhosis, can alter the body’s hormonal balance. This increases the chance of male breast cancer.
- Testicle disease or surgery: Male breast cancer risk factors include having swollen testicles (orchitis) or having an orchiectomy, which is surgery to remove a testicle.
- Older Age: People are more likely to get breast cancer as they get older. Male breast cancer is most commonly diagnosed in men in their 60s.
Final Thoughts
Male breast cancer is a relatively rare form of cancer, but a dangerous one that must be discussed and diagnosed at the right time. It’s always good to educate yourself regarding its causes and symptoms if you want to avoid or minimize the effects of the disease. Also, one should seek a breast cancer surgeon if you experience any of the above-mentioned symptoms.
