Pacer Pillowtalk: Breast cancer in males
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is typically focused on the symptoms and stores of female survivors, though one in 100 breast cancer diagnoses are men.
In many instances, many of the symptoms of breast cancer in women can also be found in men. General symptoms to look for can include:
Redness or flaky skin on or near the breast
A lump or swelling in the breast
Nipple discharge
Irritation or dimpling of breast skin
Inverting nipple or pain in the nipple
The reason men are less likely to develop breast cancer is due to men having much smaller breasts compared to women, therefore men’s breasts typically have considerably smaller and fewer ducts and lobules in their breasts. Lobules and ducts are more prominent in women since they develop milk ducts during puberty, where breast cancer is more likely to develop. This means that a diagnosis for men can present more of a challenge for treatment than for women, since the diagnosis is so rare for men, and many studies for men’s breast cancer are likely to be sourced from studies that are used for women’s breast cancer.
Men are also more likely to be diagnosed at a later age and will more likely be at a later stage cancer than women when they receive their first diagnosis, partly due to men being less likely to seek treatment rather than ignore their symptoms. Men with breast cancer are not likely to talk about their condition, as the stigma surrounding male breast cancer can leave men with the diagnosis often ashamed and feeling emasculated.
Raising awareness for this rare form of cancer, especially this October, is crucial in helping breast cancer patients and survivors feel heard and loved. Though only roughly 2,000-3,000 men will develop breast cancer annually, dismantling the stigma around breast cancer and masculinity can help bring men out of their shame and help put more research into rare cancers like this.
