Breast cancer doesn’t just affect women. In fact, every year in France, around 500 cases are detected in men. This extreme minority prevents or delays diagnosis.
In France, less than 1% of breast cancers occur in men, mainly in their sixties and beyond. The diagnosis is often made around the age of 60.
Although it accounts for a tiny proportion of cases, breast cancer in men is no less dangerous. All the more so as it is generally detected late, due to a lack of awareness that does not encourage men to undergo examinations.
So how can you recognize the disease? Do the symptoms differ from breast cancer in women? Here’s the lowdown.
What are the symptoms of breast cancer in men?
Although it mainly affects women, cancer manifests itself in much the same way in men:
- Formation of a ball or lump in the nipple area. It is often painless at first.
- Nipple discharge or bleeding may occur. In this case, the area becomes painful.
- The nipple may also change appearance, retracting inwards, swelling or becoming redder.
- Lymph nodes may swell in the clavicle or armpits.
- Skin ulcers may appear.
What are the risk factors for male breast cancer?
An inherited genetic mutation
An inherited genetic mutation, specifically in the BRCA gene, can be responsible for breast cancer in men (15-20% of cases). The number of close relatives affected increases the risk. It is possible to find out if you are affected by this predisposition by carrying out a genetic test. This involves a blood test prescribed by a geneticist.
Hormonal variations
Hormonal variations are the leading cause of male breast cancer. This imbalance of sex hormones (estrogens, androgens and progesterone) favors the formation of cancer cells. In this sense, obesity is an aggravating factor, as it favors the presence of estrogens.
Liver cirrhosis
Cirrhosis of the liver, which leads to hormonal imbalance by raising estrogen levels and lowering androgen levels, both of which are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.
Klinefelter’s syndrome
Klinefelter’s syndrome, a very rare congenital chromosomal anomaly that also disrupts sex hormones (low levels of androgens and high levels of estrogens).
Radiation exposure to the thorax.
But also many other factors…
Other factors, such as alcohol and tobacco consumption, testicular problems and repeated exposure to certain chemical compounds, can also contribute to the development of this cancer. Men who have worked for long periods in steel mills, blast furnaces, rolling mills or in the vicinity of gasoline fumes and exhaust fumes, for example, will be more likely to be targeted.
To prevent the disease, it’s vital that men have the reflex to go for screening. As with women, this involves mammography and ultrasound.