2007

Mayo Clinic Briefings - Male Mammography Rarely Indicated

Men may have what appear to be breast disease symptoms, such as enlarged or painful breast tissue, but the majority do not need mammography, according to new research from the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center presented at a national breast cancer conference in December 2006. In most cases, a careful clinical examination, sensitive to discrete masses or nipple discharge, is an effective male breast cancer detection method.

Breast cancer is very rare in males: Fewer than 2,000 cases are diagnosed annually in the United States. Men are most often diagnosed with noncancerous gynecomastia, a common condition that includes breast swelling, a tender mass, or painful breast tissue.

In the study, researchers reviewed the records of all men who had mammography at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville between 2001 and 2004. A total of 212 mammograms were performed on 198 patients. Of those, 3 men were diagnosed with breast cancer. All 3 men had an obvious mass in the breast that could be felt on physical examination or had changes such as retracted skin or nipple that are associated with tumor development.

Mammography may be indicated in rare cases if there is uncertainty about the clinical diagnosis.