Male Breast Cancer (cont.)
What are the different types of male breast cancer?
The most common type of male breast cancer is
infiltrating ductal carcinoma, which is also a common type of breast cancer in women. Ductal
carcinoma refers to cancers with origins in the ducts (tubular structures) of
the breast, and the term infiltrating means that the cancer cells have spread
beyond the ducts into the surrounding tissue. On the other hand, lobular cancers
(cancers of the milk glands), common in women, are extremely rare in men since
male breast tissue does not normally contain lobules.
Other uncommon types of cancers of the breast that have been reported in men
include ductal carcinoma in situ (cancer in the ducts that has not spread beyond the ducts themselves),
cystosarcoma phylloides (a type of cancer of the connective tissue surrounding
the ducts), and Paget's disease
of the breast (a cancer involving the skin of the nipple).
Some other types of breast cancer that occur in men are named for their growth
patterns and microscopic appearance of the
cancer cells, including papillary carcinoma, inflammatory carcinoma, and
medullary carcinoma.
About 85% of breast cancers in men have estrogen receptors on their cell
membranes. Estrogen receptors on the cell membranes allow estrogen molecules to
bind to the cancer cells. Estrogen binding to the cancer cells stimulates cell
growth and multiplication.
What are the signs and symptoms of male breast cancer?
The most common symptom of breast cancer in men is finding a firm,
non-painful mass located just below the nipple. The average size of breast
cancer in men when first discovered is about 2.5 cm in diameter. The cancer may
cause skin changes in the area of the nipple. These changes can include
ulceration of the
skin, puckering or dimpling, redness or scaling of the nipple, or retraction
(turning inward) of the nipple. Bloody or opaque discharge from
the nipple may also occur.
Breast cancer that has spread (metastasized) to the
bones may also produce bone pain at the sites of metastases. Advanced breast cancer can also produce
symptoms typical of many cancers, including malaise, weakness, and weight loss.
Next: How is male breast cancer diagnosed? »
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