Just before his 61st birthday, Paul noticed a hard bump near his left nipple. Thinking it was just a skin irritation, he figured it would go away. But it didn't.
A few months later, Paul saw his health care provider for a regular checkup. Near the end of the appointment, Paul remembered the bump on his chest. His provider decided to run some tests.
The diagnosis was a shock: Paul had breast cancer.
When lack of awareness leads to worse outcomes
Like many men, Paul didn't even know he could get breast cancer. The diagnosis is rare in men — there are only 2,000 cases a year, which is about 1% of all diagnoses of breast cancer.
Because men don't hear much about male breast cancer, they often don't take symptoms seriously. It takes most men 6 to 10 months to bring up symptoms to their doctors.
This delay gives the cancer a chance to advance before it's diagnosed. More than 40% of men with breast cancer are diagnosed at stage 3 or 4. And while women with breast cancer have an 86% five-year survival rate, men only have a 78% five-year survival rate.
But this doesn't have to be the case. In fact, when male breast cancer is caught early, there's a good chance for a cure.
Self-screen for male breast cancer
While women have regular mammograms to screen for breast cancer, no regular screening tool exists for men. So it's important to watch for changes in and around the breast tissue. Here's what to look out for:
- Painless lump
- Changes to skin over breast, like dimpling, redness, scaling or puckering
- Changes to the nipple, like redness or turning inward
- An odd "itchy area" of the breast
- Discharge from the nipple
During a shower is a good time to do a self-exam. Run your fingers over and around your chest and around your nipples. If you feel any lumps or see changes to your nipple area, call your doctor right away.
Who's at risk for male breast cancer?
There are risk factors that can increase your risk of male breast cancer. They include:
- Older age (the 60s are the most common time for diagnosis)
- Family history of cancer
- Use of estrogen drugs, like hormone therapy for prostate cancer
- Klinefelter's syndrome
- Liver disease
- Obesity
You can minimize some risk factors. Eating healthy and exercising regularly are always good ways to reduce cancer risk.
Bottom line: Yes, men can get breast cancer — and it can be serious. If you have any concerns about an area on your chest, see your health care provider.