Men Get Breast Cancer Too

The Australian Cancer Council advises that around 19,000 women and 165 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in Australia.

Both men and women have breast tissue. In men, most breast tissue is located behind the nipple.

The symptoms of breast cancer in men are similar to those for women and include:

• a breast lump
• thickening of the breast tissue
• dimpling of the skin of the breast
• change in shape of the breast or nipple
• a discharge from the nipple
• a painful area
• swollen lymph nodes in the armpit area.

Men should not be embarrassed about having a so-called “female problem” and to go to their doctors if they notice any changes in their breast tissue.

Tests for diagnosing breast cancer in men are the same as those for women. They include mammogram, breast ultrasound, and biopsy.

The main treatment for breast cancer in men is surgical removal of the breast (mastectomy). The whole breast is removed, including the nipple. Other treatments include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormone therapy and targeted therapies.

The Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) has two great tools available for men:

1. The My Journey online tool, which has a range of resources available for men diagnosed with breast cancer, including information on support and treatment specifically for men.

2. Visit BCNA’s Online Network, which has a dedicated discussion group for men diagnosed with breast cancer.

To hear one man’s story of his breast cancer journey, click here: Episode 28: Men get breast cancer too (bcna.org.au)

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• Health & Wellbeing