Breast Cancer in Men
Male breast cancer is rare and make up less than 1 percent of all breast cancer cases. Men can develop the following types of breast cancer:
Invasive (infiltrating) ductal carcinoma
Ductal carcinoma in situ
Inflammatory breast cancer
Paget’s disease
What is the treatment for male breast cancer?
The treatments for breast cancer in men are similar to those of women, with the exception of surgical options. Given breast volume and tumor location, the standard of care for men is to have mastectomy surgery, rather than lumpectomy. Male breast cancers are usually hormone receptor positive tumors and hormonal therapy is also commonly part of the systemic treatment. Genetic testing should be considered for men who develop breast cancer.
What is the prognosis for male breast cancer?
The survival rates and prognoses for men is not as good as it is for women. Men have a 25 percent higher mortality rate than women. This is believed to be due in part to men getting diagnosed with later stage disease.
Gynaecomastia
The word gynaecomastia is used loosely to describe enlargement of the breast in men. Strictly the medical term gynaecomastia describes enlargement of the glandular part of the breast, which can be caused by a number of medical conditions. Frequently men who feel that their breasts are too large have excess fat in the breasts rather than an over development of the glandular part of the breast.