Given a statistical panorama in which breast cancer has an incidence of between 0.5% and 1% in men compared to 99% in women, it seems to become almost invisible in the male population. But the infrequency does not exclude that they may present it.
According to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI), in Mexico, During 2023 there were 8,034 deaths from breast cancer in the population aged 20 and over, 42 of them in men, which represented 0.5%.
Although the figure is much lower compared to the female population, experts warn about the consequences that the invisibility and stigma of male breast cancer can have on early diagnosis. Recognizing that it can also occur in men is the first step.
The World Health Organization defines breast cancer as “a disease in which altered breast cells multiply uncontrollably and form tumors that, if left untreated, can spread throughout the body and cause death.”
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Everyone has breast tissue, so it is not exclusive to women. Why, then, do men present it less frequently?
Kathryn J. Ruddy, medical oncologist at Mayo Clinic, identifies at least seven risk factors for men developing breast cancer.
One of the main ones is age. “Most breast cancers are diagnosed in older men, and the average age is slightly older in them than in women,” explains. Ruddy estimates that it is more common in the male population over 60 years of age.
Family history is also a risk factor. The probability increases if there are blood relatives who have suffered from this disease. The expert points out that this is due to the presence of genes that predispose to breast cancer: BRCA1 and BRCA2, the latter being the most strongly associated.
Another genetic condition that can intervene is Klinefelter syndrome, in which a boy is born with more than one X chromosome, compared to most men, who only have one X and one Y.
Chest radiation also increases the risk. “A man who has previously received treatment for lymphoma with mediastinal radiation where the breast tissue would have been exposed to the radiation field will be at increased risk,” details the specialist.
Other conditions include liver disease, which affects the body’s hormonal balance, as well as some testicular conditions and being overweight.
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Beyond these factors, Ruddy emphasizes that the unequal ratio between men and women may be due, to a large extent, to hormonal differences. “The balance of estrogen and testosterone in the body is quite different in men, and I think this makes their overall risk lower,” he says.
Carrying a mutation such as BRCA2 increases the risk. According to the expert, studies estimate up to 7% probability of contracting it in male carriers.
“Obviously genetics are a big factor, but I think when you look at the general population, most people do not carry a mutation like this. It is probably due to hormonal differences,” he emphasizes.
“Any lump in the breast, change in shape, in the skin of the nipple or in the areola is reason for medical consultation,” warns.
In the case of breast cancer in men, the lump is usually near or under the nippleso it is an area to which special attention should be paid.
When you notice any changes, the next step is to go to the doctor. To determine the cause, the specialist mentions that a physical examination is required and, “often, a mammogram (an x-ray of the breast) and an ultrasound (a different way of obtaining images to determine the cause of abdominal pain).”
If worrying findings occur, a biopsy is recommended to “get a small sample of the possibly abnormal tissue and determine if there really is cancer.”
When the presence of breast cancer is confirmed, Treatments may include surgery, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, or radiation therapy. The key is early diagnosis.
“The prognosis for breast cancer in men is not worse than in women when compared with similar tumor size and lymph node spread. Therefore, if cancer can be detected and diagnosed early, the prognosis is very good,” says Ruddy.
However, he warns that it is more common for men with this disease to go to the doctor later, which makes treatment difficult.
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