Breast Cancer in men

This week, continuing our October Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign, we are highlighting a demographic of patients that are sometimes lost in the shuffle of pink.

"Though breast cancer is most commonly thought of as a disease that affects women, breast cancer does occur in men," said Laura Baatz, occupational nurse at Sanford Underground Research Facility. 

Although it is rare, studies show that men with breast cancer have lower survival rates than women. The following information from the Mayo Clinic outlines the symptoms and risk factors of male breast cancer, as well as when to see a doctor and how male breast cancer is diagnosed.

Where breast cancer begins in men

It's not clear what causes male breast cancer. Doctors know that male breast cancer occurs when some breast cells divide more rapidly than healthy cells do. The accumulating cells form a tumor that may spread to nearby tissue, to the lymph nodes or to other parts of the body.

Everyone is born with a small amount of breast tissue. Breast tissue consists of milk-producing glands, ducts that carry milk to the nipples, and fat.

During puberty, women begin developing more breast tissue, and men do not. But because men are born with a small amount of breast tissue, they can develop breast cancer.

Risk factors

Factors that increase the risk of male breast cancer include:

• Older age. The risk of breast cancer increases as you age. Male breast cancer is most often diagnosed in men in their 60s.
• Exposure to estrogen. If you take estrogen-related drugs, such as those used for hormone therapy for prostate cancer, your risk of breast cancer is increased.
• Family history of breast cancer. If you have a close family member with breast cancer, you have a greater chance of developing the disease.
• Klinefelter's syndrome. This genetic syndrome occurs when boys are born with more than one copy of the X chromosome. As a result, men with this syndrome produce lower levels of certain male hormones and more female hormones.
• Liver disease. Certain conditions, such as cirrhosis of the liver, can reduce male hormones and increase female hormones, increasing your risk of breast cancer.
• Obesity. Obesity is associated with higher levels of estrogen in the body, which increases the risk of male breast cancer.
• Testicle disease or surgery. Having inflamed testicles or surgery to remove a testicle can increase your risk of male breast cancer.

Inherited genes that increase breast cancer risk

Some men inherit abnormal genes from their parents that increase the risk of breast cancer. Mutations in one of several genes put you at greater risk of developing breast and prostate cancers.

If you have a strong family history of cancer, discuss this with your doctor. Your doctor may recommend that you meet with a genetic counselor in order to consider genetic testing to see if you carry genes that increase your risk of cancer.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of male breast cancer can include:

• A painless lump or thickening in your breast tissue
• Changes to the skin covering your breast, such as dimpling, puckering, redness or scaling
• Changes to your nipple, such as redness or scaling, or a nipple that begins to turn inward
• Discharge from your nipple

When to see a doctor

Make an appointment with your doctor if you have any persistent signs or symptoms that worry you.

Diagnosing male breast cancer

Your doctor may conduct a number of diagnostic tests and procedures, such as:

• Clinical breast exam. The doctor uses his or her fingertips to examine your breasts and surrounding areas for lumps or other changes. Your doctor assesses how large the lumps are, how they feel, and how close they are to your skin and muscles.
• Imaging tests. Imaging tests create pictures of your breast tissue that allow doctors to identify abnormal areas. Tests may include a breast X-ray (mammogram) or an ultrasound, which uses sound waves to create images.
• Removing a sample of breast cells for testing (biopsy). A biopsy is the only definitive way to make a diagnosis of breast cancer. During a biopsy, your doctor uses a specialized needle device guided by X-ray or another imaging test to extract a core of tissue from the suspicious area.

Biopsy samples are sent to a laboratory for analysis where experts determine whether the cells are cancerous. A biopsy sample is also analyzed to determine the type of cells involved in the breast cancer, the aggressiveness, or grade, of the cancer, and whether the cancer cells have hormone receptors or other receptors that may influence treatment options.

For more information, visit the Mayo Clinic's website.

The Environmental, Safety and Health, and Quality Assurance Department at Sanford Underground Research Facility promotes health and safety in the workplace, as well as healthy living and wellness for all employees. If you have questions about health and wellness, please contact our occupational health nurse, Laura Baatz, who is onsite daily at lbaatz@sanfordlab.org.