Breast Pathology 2019

Breast cancer in Men

Breast cancer is often thought of as something that only affects women, but men can get it in rare cases. It develops in the small amount of breast tissue men have behind their nipples. It usually occurs in men over 60, but can very occasionally affect younger men. The outlook for breast cancer in men varies depending on how far it has spread by the time it's diagnosed. It may be possible to cure breast cancer it it's caught at an early stage. A cure is much less likely if the cancer isn't found until it has spread beyond the breast. In these cases, treatment can relieve your symptoms and help you live longer. The exact cause of breast cancer in men isn't known, but there are some things that increase your risk of getting it. These include: genes and family history – inheriting faulty versions of genes called BRCA1 or BRCA2 increases your risk of breast cancer, Conditions that can increase the level of oestrogen in the body – including obesity, Klinefelter syndrome and scarring of the liver, previous radiotherapy to the chest area. It's not certain if you can do anything to reduce your risk, but eating a balanced diet, losing weight if you're overweight and not drinking too much alcohol may help.