About Male Breast Cancer

What Is Male Breast Cancer

• Site of occurrence The breast is a modified form of a sebaceous gland and is an accessory organ of the skin. About 91% of breast cancers occur in the ducts connected to the lobules of the mammary gland.

• Definition and types Male breast cancer refers to a tumor that develops in the male breast. Unlike benign tumors that remain within the breast, it refers to malignant tumors that can spread beyond the breast and become life-threatening. Depending on where they arise, breast cancers can be divided into cancers that develop in parenchymal tissue such as the ducts and lobules, and cancers that develop in other stromal tissues. Cancers that arise in the ducts and lobules can be further divided into invasive breast cancer and non-invasive breast cancer depending on the degree of cancer cell invasion.

Prevention of Male Breast Cancer

• Risk factors The causes of male breast cancer are mostly unknown, but hormonal abnormalities (relative excess of estrogen and deficiency of androgen), family history, and genetic factors (Klinefelter syndrome) can be considered.

• Early screening In general, there are no recommended early screening methods for male breast cancer. However, because male breast cancer may be associated with BRCA gene abnormalities, BRCA gene testing should be performed.

Diagnosis of Male Breast Cancer

• Common symptoms Male breast cancer usually occurs in one breast, and symptoms typically appear as a painless subareolar mass (a lump beneath the areola). Other symptoms may include bloody nipple discharge, nipple retraction, and nipple or skin ulceration.

• Diagnostic methods Diagnosis of breast lesions includes self-examination and clinical examination, imaging tests (mammography, breast ultrasound, etc.), and biopsy. Not every palpable breast lump is breast cancer; benign conditions such as fibrocystic disease and fibroadenoma are more common. Malignant and benign tumors can be distinguished by ultrasound findings in about 60-80% of cases, and if malignancy is possible or malignant findings are present, a tissue biopsy should be performed for differential diagnosis.

Treatment of Male Breast Cancer

• Treatment methods Surgery is the most essential treatment for breast cancer patients and is carried out while considering general principles such as curability, safety, preservation of function, and quality of life after surgery. In addition, chemotherapy is given to reduce recurrence after surgery.

• Side effects of treatment Immediately after surgery, seroma in the axillary area and abnormal sensations on the inner side of the operated arm may occur. A long-term postoperative side effect may be lymphedema. Side effects from the anti-hormonal agent tamoxifen may include hot flashes, fluid retention, depression, and skin erythema.

• Recurrence and metastasis It is very important to detect recurrence early, so regular follow-up examinations should be performed after primary treatment is completed. This is to detect early the risk of new cancer developing in the opposite breast or other organs, along with local or distant metastasis.

So far, we have explained male breast cancer. In the next part, we will look at breast lumps.

Source: Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Health Information Portal