While we look for and discuss the signs and symptoms of breast cancer in men, we must educate people on what breast cancer in men is all about. We are meant to understand that in men, there are breast tissues that cannot produce milk. However, these are still concentrated on the chest wall, which is right behind the nipple. These are non-functioning breast tissues that are made up of cells that became so abnormal in behavior and appearance. Just as there is breast cancer in women, breast cancer in men happens to be some cells that have an uncontrolled growth that has the potentials to spread to other parts of the body.
These are called cancer cells and can be a dire situation. In healthy young lads and lass, there is a tubular structure called ducts. The lady’s ovaries produce estrogen, which is a female hormone the leads to the duct. This duct grows as a result of the estrogen hormone and triggers the milk glands as it develops at the ends of the duct.
This happens to be a case of puberty, where the number of connective tissues and fat that exists in the breast increases as girls go through the process. On the other hand, the case of the male hormone, which is called the testosterone is secreted by the testes, which reduce the growth of the breast tissues and the lobule development. This makes the male breast mainly an undeveloped small duct with a little of connective tissues and fat.
However, breast cancer in male is a rare medical case that doesn’t really occur. This is because breast cancer is a hundred time more in women than in men. The issue of breast cancer is even commonly detected in men from the ages of 60 and 70.
When we talk about common cases, it is still possible for a man to experience the development of breast cancer at any age. The possibilities of a man developing breast cancer are at a low ratio of 1:10, i.e. 1% of 1000. Breast cancer in men has been relatively stable over the past three decades.
So it is evident that the breast cancer situation in males is at a very low rate compared to the case in females. Here we are going to be exposing individuals to the various signs and symptoms that show that an individual has breast cancer. Since it is a rare case in the world of cancer, it is important for people to note the various signs that show that the individual has breast cancer.
Lump Growth
One of the most common symptoms of breast cancer in male is the appearance of a lump in the breast. This lump comes without pain, and it grows in the breast area of the man. This growth of lump may not have a palpable nature as it is experienced in its early stage.
The lump also grows depending on the change that can be experienced in the looks and feelings of the breast. So men should note that when there is a growth of lump in the breast, the individual might experience a thickening in the breast. Sometimes the thickening happens near the breast in the area of the underarm.
Change in Breast Size
Another symptom that comes with a growing lump in the breast of males is that the individual also starts to feel a firm feeling and experiences an irregular shape and size of the breast. This would appear stuck to tissues that are deep inside the breast or the breast’s skin. The fact that the individual starts to experience a change in the size and shape of the breast is caused by the growth of the lump which would reshape the breast size as it grows.
The Involvement of the Nipples
When an individual is experiencing male breast cancer, it affects the nipples of the man. This happens to be some of the few symptoms of cancer in the breast. The man starts to experience nipple retraction, and then there would be some sorts of discharge that comes with it.
This causes the nipples of the man to start to leak as fluids start to drop. This may also cause the man to start experiencing the nipple turning inwards just as the discharge is happening.
Change in Breast Skin Color
In the signs of cancer, there is also the aspect where the man starts to undergo a change in the color of the skin of his breast. In this case, the nipple of the breast starts to turn scaly. Sometimes the skin turns red or swollen too as the experience changes from time to time and stage to stage. Still, on the skin of the individual with breast cancer, the man’s skin gets dimpled in the area where the breast is affected.
Other Symptoms
When an individual has breast cancer and the cancer be is spreading, some other symptoms come with it, such as breast pains. Although it was stated earlier that the lump grows without pain, but when the growth begins to spread, it starts to become painful. The bone becomes painful, too because of the stage cancer has gotten to.
This is a very critical stage, whereby cancer starts to spread to the lymph nodes. This results in the swelling of the lymph nodes and glands that are located in the areas near the breast. This is usually located around the armpit.
Finally, it is vital for men to take note of the possibility of developing male breast cancer. So they are meant to make sure to see a physician for proper diagnosis around their breast area. When breast cancer is developing, it is usually at the size of 2.5 cm in diameter, and it must be treated at an early stage. It is also important to note that some breast cancers are difficult to differentiate. Benign cancers like fibroadenomas also happen to be another type of cancer.
