What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Breast Cancer

Many scoff at the idea of breast cancer symptoms in men. After all, men don’t have breasts, they have chests. It may be surprising to know that in the United States about 1900 men develop breast cancer per year. Breast cancer symptoms in men include:

” Skin dimpling or puckering
” Nipple retraction or inversion
” Redness or scaling of the nipple or breast skin
” Nipple discharge – clear, milky or bloody

” Mass in the breast area, a lump that can be felt no matter how small
” Swelling or mass in the armpit, swelling of the breast
” Pain in the nipple or prolonged itching of the nipple
” Persistent tenderness of the breast

Breast Cancer Symptoms in men should be paid prompt attention. Males often ignore symptoms due to feelings of embarrassment that causes them to question their masculinity. They do not understand the gravity of breast cancer symptoms in men. Many males think their breast lumps are an infection or some other issue, and they do not get medical treatment until the mass has had a chance to grow, allowing cancer to spread into the tissue under the arm. Though lumps can easily be removed during a biopsy, allowing a quick analysis of the removed tissue, men are often embarrassed about finding a breast lump and worry that someone might question their masculinity. This belief tends to delay diagnosis and reduces a man’s odds of successful treatment and may cause needless death.

Male breast cancer is most commonly diagnosed in men between the ages of 55 and 70 years old. Knowing their family health history can be a good indicator of when men should have a breast exam. It is recommended that men with a history of family cancer who are older than 55 be screened for breast cancer. But breast cancer symptoms in men have been diagnosed as young as their twenties.

Men with a BRCA gene mutation have a higher risk of developing breast cancer, prostate cancer and skin cancer (melanoma). In some men (and women), BRCA2 gene mutations have been associated with an increased risk of lymphoma, melanoma, and cancers of the pancreas, gallbladder, bile duct, and stomach. Furthermore, these cancers are more likely to develop at a younger age in men with a BRCA mutation.

Some of the other risks other than BRCA that increase the chance for breast cancer symptoms in men are seen with hyperestrogenism found in Klinefelter’s syndrome (XXY), obesity, and cirrhosis. A sign of hyperestrogenism is gynecomastia (abnormally enlarged male breasts). If Gynecomastia exists then any breast cancer symptoms in men should receive immediate medical attention from their doctor. Two more risks for developing male breast cancer include exposure to radiation and the use of the medication Finasteride (Propecia, Proscar), used to treat benign prostatic hypertrophy and prostate cancer. If any breast cancer symptoms in men develop with persons having this risk factors special attention should be given to them as there are to set protocols to follow at this time.