Male Breast Cancer

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  • Overview
  • Approach
  • Appointments
  • Symptoms
  • Diagnosis
  • Treatments
  • Patient Resources
  • Locations
  • Physicians
  • Providers

    • What is male breast cancer?

    Breast cancer affects men as well as women, but it is much less common in men. Although men and people assigned male at birth don’t have breasts that produce milk, they have fatty tissue, ducts and breast cells that can become cancerous. About 1 in every 100 breast cancers diagnosed in the United States is found in a man.

    Male breast cancer occurs when cells in the male breast tissue grow out of control, forming a malignant tumor. Although men have less breast tissue than women, they still have a small amount that can develop cancer.

    Types of male breast cancer

    • Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS): Non-invasive cancer confined to the ducts.
    • Invasive Ductal Carcinoma (IDC): The most common type in men, where cancer starts in the ducts but invades surrounding tissue.
    • Invasive Lobular Carcinoma (ILC): Rare in men, as lobules are less developed.
    • Paget’s Disease of the Nipple: A rare cancer that starts in the ducts and spreads to the nipple’s skin.
    • Inflammatory Breast Cancer: Also rare, characterized by red, swollen, warm breast tissue due to lymph vessel blockage.

    Our Approach

    The Weiser Family Center for Breast Cancer is dedicated to providing compassionate, cutting-edge care for individuals affected by breast cancer. We enhance lives through early detection, personalized treatment, and survivorship support, while advancing research, education, and advocacy. Our unwavering commitment is to make a meaningful difference, improving breast cancer outcomes for all.

     

    Appointment Information

    If you're a patient interested in making an appointment, please call 734-647-8902.  Healthcare providers looking to refer a patient, please contact M-LINE: 800-962-3555.

    For those with questions, please contact our Cancer AnswerLine at 800-865-1125.

    What are the symptoms of male breast cancer?
    • Lump or Swelling: Often painless, and usually located under the nipple.
    • Changes in Skin: Dimpling, puckering, redness, or scaling.
    • Nipple Changes: Nipple turning inward (inversion), discharge, or peeling/crusting.
    • Pain: Though not common, there can be tenderness or discomfort.

    Risk Factors

    A risk factor is something that increases the chance of developing a disease. The following are potential risk factors for male breast cancer:

    • Age: Most common in men aged 60-70.
    • Family History: Having close relatives with breast cancer increases risk.
    • Genetic Mutations: BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations significantly elevate the risk.
    • Radiation Exposure: Previous radiation treatment to the chest area.
    • Hormonal Imbalances: Conditions leading to higher estrogen levels, such as Klinefelter syndrome, liver disease, or hormone therapy for prostate cancer.
    • Lifestyle Factors: Obesity, heavy alcohol use, and certain occupational exposures.

    How is male breast cancer diagnosed?
    Diagram of male chest identifying the anatomy and highlighting the fatty tissue, nipple, ducts
    • Physical Examination: Initial evaluation by a healthcare provider.
    • Imaging Tests: Mammograms and ultrasounds are used to identify abnormalities.
    • Biopsy: Core needle biopsy or excisional biopsy to examine tissue samples for cancer cells.
    • Additional Tests: MRI, CT scans, bone scans, and blood tests may be used to determine the extent of cancer and check for metastasis.

     

    How is male breast cancer treated?

    Treatment approaches are similar to those used in women and depend on the cancer’s stage and characteristics:

    Surgery

    • Mastectomy: Removal of the affected breast tissue, often including underlying muscle and nearby lymph nodes.
    • Lumpectomy: Less common in men, involves removing the tumor and a small margin of surrounding tissue.

    Learn more about breast cancer surgery.

    Radiation Therapy

    May be recommended after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells in the breast area.  Learn more about breast cancer and radiation therapy.

    Chemotherapy

    May be used before surgery to shrink the tumor (neoadjuvant therapy) or after surgery to kill remaining cancer cells (adjuvant therapy).

    Hormonal Therapy

    Effective for hormone receptor-positive cancers. Tamoxifen is commonly used to block estrogen receptors.

    Targeted Therapy

    For HER2-positive cancers, drugs like trastuzumab (Herceptin) target specific proteins that promote cancer growth.

    Prognosis

    The outcome of treatment varies based on the stage of the cancer. Early detection generally has a favorable prognosis, while advanced stages are more challenging to treat.

    When matched stage for stage, survival rates are similar between men and women.

    Follow-Up Care

    Regular follow-up is essential to monitor for recurrence and manage long-term side effects of treatment. This includes physical exams and imaging tests.

    Locations
    • Breast Care Clinic | Brighton Center for Specialty Care 7500 Challis Rd
      Entrance 1, Level 1
      Brighton, MI 48116-9416       Get Directions
    • Breast Oncology Clinic | Rogel Cancer Center 1500 E Medical Center Dr
      Floor 1
      Ann Arbor, MI 48109-5916       Get Directions

    Doctors

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    Steven Goble Allen, MD

    Clinical Assistant Professor

    Radiation Oncology

    Monika Leigh Burness, MD

    Monika Leigh Burness, MD

    Assistant Professor

    Medical Oncology, Internal Medicine

    Erin Frances Cobain, MD

    Erin Frances Cobain, MD

    Associate Professor

    Medical Oncology, Internal Medicine

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    Aleksandar Filip Dragovic, MD

    Clinical Associate Professor

    Radiation Oncology

    Norah Lynn Henry, MD

    Norah Lynn Henry, MD, PhD

    Professor

    Medical Oncology, Internal Medicine

    Borislav Hristov, MD

    Borislav Hristov, MD

    Clinical Assistant Professor

    Radiation Oncology

    Tasha Michelle Hughes, MD

    Tasha Michelle Hughes, MD

    Clinical Associate Professor

    Surgical Oncology, Surgery

    Elizabeth Maria Jaworski, MD

    Elizabeth Maria Jaworski, MD, MS

    Clinical Assistant Professor

    Radiation Oncology

    Jacqueline Sara Jeruss, MD

    Jacqueline Sara Jeruss, MD, PhD

    Professor

    Surgery

    Kathleen Anne Kemmer, MD

    Clinical Assistant Professor

    Medical Oncology, Hematology, Internal Medicine

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    Providers

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    Joan Marie Armstrong, NP

    Advanced Practice Nurse

    Nurse Practitioner - Family, Nurse Practitioner

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    Susan Marie Egner, NP

    Advanced Practice Nurse

    Nurse Practitioner

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    Tamara Mangan Ghormley, NP

    Advanced Practice Nurse

    Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Practitioner - Community Health

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    Kimberly Ann Hoskins, NP

    Advanced Practice Nurse

    Nurse Practitioner - Adult Health

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    Mary-Jo Marie Julin, NP

    Advanced Practice Nurse

    Nurse Practitioner

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    Amanda Leigh Kovach, PA-C

    Physician Assistant

    Physician Assistant

    Katherine Ann Lew, PA-C

    Katherine Ann Lew, PA-C

    Physician Assistant

    Physician Assistant

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    Margaret Anne Miodonski, NP

    Advanced Practice Nurse

    Nurse Practitioner-Women's Health, Nurse Practitioner

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    Kelly Leigh Scheu, NP

    Advanced Practice Nurse

    Nurse Practitioner

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    Alissa Ann Stewart, PA-C

    Physician Assistant

    Physician Assistant

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