Men Get Breast Cancer Too! - Early Signs to Spot
As you may or may not know breast cancer affects males too. It usually happens in men over 60 but has been known to occasionally affect younger men. Many people presume that because men don’t have breasts, they can’t get breast cancer, but they do in fact have a small amount of breast tissue which can be affected by the disease.
Around 370 males are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the UK, however, there is no routine screening and very little research behind it. Because of this, the causes are not fully understood. There are, however, certain things which are known to increase the risk such as getting older, previous radiation to the chest area or and heavy and frequent alcohol consumption. Similarly, high oestrogen levels may be a factor; diseases which are associated with this include obesity, Klinefelter syndrome and scarring of the liver (cirrhosis). Inheriting faulty versions of genes called BRCA1 or BRCA2 or a close female relative who has suffered from the disease may also increase your chances.
A lump (usually painless) in the chest area is the most common symptom, and other symptoms may include discharge from the nipple, a tender or inverted nipple, sores or swelling of the chest area or lymph nodes in the armpit. It is not certain that there is anything you can do specifically to lessen the risk of breast cancer but eating a balanced diet, avoid being overweight and reducing your alcohol intake may help.
Here at BOBC we are committed to fundraising and making sure every penny raised is spent on new equipment for breast cancer units in the NHS. We want to raise awareness this month that #MenGetBreastCancerToo! Men still have a 1 in 870 chance of getting breast cancer in their lifetime and the sooner it is detected, the better the outcome may be. It is so important to always be checking regularly for changes that you can bring to the attention of your GP.
Useful Links and Resources
https://metro.co.uk/2022/09/06/these-are-the-early-signs-of-male-breast-cancer-to-look-out-for-17297518/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/male-breast-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20374740
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/breast-cancer-in-men/
https://www.breastcancer.org/types/male-breast-cancer
Download our New App!
This breast checking application doesn’t collect your data whilst it manages your breast health.
With a menstrual cycle tracker and in-built reminders to let you know the optimum time to check your breast/chest tissue this app takes the guess work out of when and how to correctly check for lumps, bumps and abnormalities.
With export features so you may share the data with your GP and useful how-to videos, the BOBC breast check app is everything you need to alert you of any changes you need to be aware of.
This app is also mindful of people who do not have periods, people who may have transitioned, and also men who get breast cancer too.
