Male breast cancer is a very rare disease with less than one percent of all breast cancers been attributed to men. According to the 2005 statistics, 211,400 women had been diagnosed with breast cancer whereas only 1,690 men had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Although most people do not even think that men can get breast cancer, they can. Males have the same breast tissue as females. You have seen boys and men who have breasts that appear to be as big as women. No doubt you figured it was fat, and most often than not it is. Women’s breasts grow due to the female hormones. However, men’s breast will grow if they are on medication. Then there are the men who have higher than normal levels of breast stimulating hormones. When that happens the breast in a man will be flat. They will develop like a woman.

There are very few men who have breast cancer and because of that there is very little research that has been done in the area of male breast cancer. Therefore, researchers must rely on the studies that have been done so far, piece them together, and formulate some theories about the causes of male breast cancer.

Risk factors for male breast cancer

It crucial to know the risk factors for male breast cancer since routine screening is not done on males. Therefore men are much older when they are finally diagnosed with breast cancer. Similar to women the first risk factor is age. However, men are usually about 67 years old when they are diagnosed with breast cancer.

Hormones

Men who have higher levels of estrogen are at risk for breast cancer. Besides being naturally produced, men can also have higher levels of estrogen due to taking hormonal therapy medication. Also being overweight will increase the risk for producing estrogen in the body. Furthermore, estrogen can be introduced through the environment. Cattle is often fed estrogens and other hormones to fatten them up before they enter the food chain, so men eating a large amount of red meat are at risk. Certain pesticides like DDT have chemicals which mimic estrogen and when vegetables and fruits are consumed they will have the same effect upon the body. Heavy alcohol users will be at risk because alcohol impedes the liver’s ability to regulate estrogen. Liver disease puts a male at risk because liver disease impedes the production of androgens, the male hormone and allows the over production of estrogen. This condition can also produce gynocomastia a non-cancerous form of breast cancer as well.

Klinefelter Syndrome

Just like liver problems, men with Klinefelter syndrome have higher levels of the female hormone and lower levels of the male hormone androgen. This condition has nothing to do with alcoholism. Men with this condition will be at a higher risk for gynocomastia as well. Klinefelter syndrome is a genetic disorder and so one in every thousand men will have it from birth. These men can have up to four X chromosomes. They will have longer legs, a higher voice, very little facial hair, smaller testicles and they are often infertile.

Family history

If there is a history of breast cancer in the family it can also put a male at risk. However, it is important to note that men who do not have any family history of breast cancer can still contract the disease.

Radiation

Men who have been exposed to radiation before the age of 30 especially as a teenager may be at risk for breast cancer. Studies have found that men who received radiation therapy for Hodkgins Disease are at a higher risk yet this does not apply to men who have had radiation therapy for breast cancer.

Symptoms

Some of the symptoms that a man can experience from breast cancer will include: a lump in the breast, pain in the nipple, an inverted nipple, a liquid or bloody discharge from the nipple, sores on the nipple or the areola, (the dark color surrounding the nipple, or enlarged lymph nodes under the arm. If you have any of these symptoms go to your doctor right away and get tested it may just save your life.

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