What are the symptoms of Male Breast Cancer?

Breast cancer is wrongly perceived as a woman’s disease. Men can suffer from breast cancer too but it is quite rare and uncommon when compared to cases in women. Breast tissue is present in men though it is small in amount and does not function the way it does in women (does not produce milk).

Symptoms

Symptoms of breast cancer in men are similar to those in women. One of the foremost signs is a lump on his chest. The signs of male breast cancer are as follows.

• Lumps in the breast which may be painful or painless in nature.
• Nipple discharge which can be bloody or other secretions
• Puckering and dimpling of the breast’s skin
• Nipple retraction which means the nipple is drawn in or turns inward. Any other changes in the appearance of the nipple.
• Any kind of changes in the skin on the nipple or breast. Generally redness and scaling is seen.
• Swelled breasts or swollen lymph nodes under the arm.

Due to low awareness of male breast cancer, men tend to ignore any symptoms and report only when the condition is in an advanced stage.

Diagnosis and Treatment

The techniques that are used to diagnose breast cancer in men are physical exams, mammography and biopsies (examining small samples of tissue under a microscope).

The treatment for breast cancer in men is done with the same approaches. Surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, biological therapy and hormone therapy are used to treat breast cancer in men.

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