Bro, Check your Chest

Breast cancer in men is rare, but not unheard of.  People don’t know that even though rare, men can get breast cancer, as generally, people don’t think of men as having breasts and breast tissue. Men do have breast tissue, even though it is a minor amount of breast tissue and, breast cancer can start in this breast tissue, in the same manner as in women.  The risk to men, however, is increased if there are family members with breast cancer, have a family history of breast cancer, or are taking certain medications.

Symptoms and signs men need to look out for include:

• A painless lump in the chest area
• A tender or inverted (pulled-in) nipple
• Oozing/bleeding from the nipple
• A rash on the nipple area
• Ulcers (sores) on the chest or nipple area
• Lump/swelling on the chest area on in the armpit

Men can also do self-examinations
Self-examination improves chances of finding breast cancer early. The earlier breast cancer is found, the easier it is to treat and save lives.  The self-examination, and learning examination techniques help increase your awareness of your breast tissue, as you use your eyes and hands to determine if there are any changes to the look and feel of your chest area and breast tissue.

What to do if you notice a sign or symptom
If you notice a change to your chest breast tissue or nipple, see your healthcare provider as soon as you are able and can make an appointment. It is also very important that you report any changes up to the collarbone or changes and soreness in the armpit.
 
How do I reduce my risk?
A key to lowering risk for all men is by maintaining a healthy weight and keeping active including physical exercise.
 
If members of your family have had breast or ovarian cancer, or one of your family members has a known BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, occurring from not only breast cancer, but a broad range on cancer diagnosis, please ensure you share this information with your doctor. Your doctor may refer you for genetic counselling. A risk for men is that, mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes can increase the risk of breast cancer, high-grade prostate cancer, and pancreatic cancer.

Credit: National Institute for Communicable Disease

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The content in this communication is for information purposes and is not intended to be detailed advice, you should seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.