¡Oye, Hombres! What You Need to Know About Male Breast Cancer

Think breast cancer is a “women’s-only” disease? Tell that to the 2,800 men in the United States who will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer this year. Although rare, male breast cancer can be serious and even fatal if left untreated, experts say, and men should see their physician right away if they notice anything unusual with their breasts or nipples.

Starr Mautner, M.D., is a breast surgical oncologist at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute who specializes in breast surgical procedures including breast conserving lumpectomy, sentinel lymph node biopsy, skin-sparing mastectomy and nipple-sparing mastectomy. As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Dr. Mautner spoke with Resource editors about male breast cancer, including what symptoms men should watch for.

Resource: How rare or common is male breast cancer?

Starr Mautner, M.D., breast surgical oncologist at Baptist Health Miami Cancer Institute

Dr. Mautner: While breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, it is relatively rare in men, with male breast cancers accounting for less than 1 percent of all diagnosed cases of breast cancer. For men, the lifetime risk of getting breast cancer is about 1 in 833, compared to women, whose risk is 1 in 8. In 2023, about 2,800 new cases of invasive breast cancer in men will be diagnosed in the United States. 

Resource: What is the percentage of men that are afflicted with it? And what are the mortality rates?

Dr. Mautner: The risk of a man being diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime is extremely low, around .12 percent. About 530 men will die from breast cancer this year in the U.S. Mortality rates vary by age and cancer stage at diagnosis along with ethnicity, but the five-year overall survival rate after a diagnosis of breast cancer is approximately 76-83 percent for men, which is slightly lower than in women. Similar to what is seen in women, Black men are at higher risk of developing breast cancer and mortality rates are higher as well. 

Resource: What do men need to know about male breast cancer?

Dr. Mautner: The condition is rare so men are not routinely screened for breast cancer with mammograms. A man diagnosed with breast cancer should be referred for genetic counseling and testing, as it is more common for men with genetic mutations (BRCA1/2) to develop breast cancer. Other risk factors for male breast cancer include older age, family history of breast cancer, obesity, alcoholism, Klinefelter’s Syndrome (men who have an extra X-chromosome), radiation exposure, estrogen treatment and certain testicular conditions.

Resource: What are the symptoms men should look out for?

Dr. Mautner: Male breast cancer symptoms include a mass, usually located centrally behind the nipple, nipple discharge or changes to the skin or crusting or bleeding of the nipple. If a man feels a new breast mass, nipple discharge or changes to the skin of the nipple, these require a thorough workup which can include mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy. 

Resource: How often should men be examined for the condition?

Dr. Mautner: Men should be aware of changes to their body so that any new symptoms of breast cancer are not ignored, but there is no routine screening for male breast cancer that is performed, as it is such a rare condition. 

Resource: What are some of the societal stigmas that affect men that might dissuade them from pursuing help?

Dr. Mautner: Men may feel less masculine to seek treatment for a condition that primarily affects women or they may just be unaware of the possibility of male breast cancer.

Resource: Why isn’t this condition more mainstream for men? 

Dr. Mautner: Men do not lactate so lack maturation of the ducts and lobular units that make up the female breast tissue. For this reason, male breast cancer is extremely rare and not often talked about in the media.

Resource: How is male breast cancer typically treated? 

Dr. Mautner: Treatment of male breast cancer often requires mastectomy (removal of the breast including the nipple areola complex) and sampling of the first draining axillary lymph nodes (sentinel lymph node biopsy). Depending on final pathology from surgery, patients may also require treatment after surgery including radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy and endocrine therapy (hormone blocker). 

Resource: What is the recovery rate for men diagnosed with breast cancer?

Dr. Mautner: The overall five-year relative survival rates for breast cancer in men (based on men diagnosed with cancer of the breast between 2012 and 2018) is 83 percent. For patients initially diagnosed with breast cancer that is confined to the breast alone, the five-year relative survival rate is 95 percent, while those presenting with cancer that has spread to their axillary nodes is 84 percent and those with cancer that has spread to another part of the body is 20 percent.

Resource: Are there support groups for men diagnosed with breast cancer?

Dr. Mautner: Malebreastcancer.org is a not-for-profit patient advocacy organization with a mission to educate the world about male breast cancer. Breastcancernow.org offers a forum, virtual meet up group, a podcast, and can match men up with other men diagnosed with breast cancer to discuss their experiences. The American Cancer Society has a 24/7 cancer helpline providing support for people dealing with cancer. CDC.gov also features male breast cancer survivor stories. 

Visit BaptistHealth.net/Mammogram to schedule your screening mammogram. You can also schedule your screening mammogram through PineApp.