Symptoms of male breast cancer

Written by Yan Chun
Oncology
Updated on November 17, 2024
00:00
00:00

The clinical symptoms of male breast cancer are generally similar to those of females, mainly presenting as painless, progressive enlargement of breast lumps. These breast lumps usually occur under the areola, and some patients may experience nipple inversion or abnormal nipple discharge. Many breast lumps tend to have unclear boundaries with surrounding tissues and often adhere to the skin or chest muscles. Many patients with male breast cancer experience metastasis to the axillary lymph nodes, causing the metastatic lymph nodes to enlarge and become painful, local lymphatic drainage obstruction, and causing local upper limb swelling and pain. Moreover, some male breast cancer cases have metastasized to the lungs, presenting clinically with symptoms such as coughing and chest pain related to the respiratory system. Some patients with male breast cancer have liver metastasis, clinically presenting with pain in the liver area, decreased appetite, and abnormal coagulation functions.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Chao Jie
Breast Surgery
1min 1sec home-news-image

Breast cancer surgery accompaniment for a few days

The duration of postoperative care for breast cancer surgery depends on the extent of the surgery. This includes modified radical mastectomy, classic radical mastectomy, and surgeries that preserve both the breast and the axilla. For surgeries that preserve the breast and axilla, patients typically recover quickly, and generally, providing care for three to five days is more than sufficient. However, to ensure patients feel comforted and cared for, it's common to provide care starting the day before surgery until the patient is discharged. Postoperative care tends to be longer for modified radical mastectomies that include axillary clearance, as care is needed until the patient can fully manage the arm on the operated side on their own. Therefore, the care duration varies depending on the individual and their recovery. Thus, the shortest duration of care is usually for surgeries that preserve both the breast and axilla, typically sufficient within three to five days.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
1min 30sec home-news-image

Causes of Breast Cancer

The causes of breast cancer are not yet fully understood, but research has shown that the onset of breast cancer follows certain patterns and is related to various risk factors: The first is the age of onset for female breast cancer, which is generally low from ages zero to twenty-four, gradually increases after twenty-five, and peaks from fifty to fifty-four years old. So, the first factor is related to age; The second factor is genetics. If a mother or sister has breast cancer, then the individual’s likelihood of developing breast cancer may be higher, making family history a relevant factor; The third point involves risk factors related to the breast, including early menarche (before the age of twelve), late menopause (after the age of fifty-five), being unmarried, nulliparous, late marriage, and not breastfeeding. These factors also tend to increase the likelihood of developing breast cancer; The fourth point is that benign breast conditions, if not promptly diagnosed and treated, could potentially transform into malignant tumors; The fifth point includes potential exposure to radiation, long-term use of exogenous estrogens, postmenopausal obesity, chronic alcohol consumption, and an irregular lifestyle, all of which can also have an impact.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Fan Hong Qiao
Breast Health Department
1min 10sec home-news-image

Does breast cancer have a genetic component?

Breast cancer is somewhat related to genetics and has a certain familial predisposition. It manifests as a higher incidence rate in relatives with breast cancer, especially in closer blood relations, and daughters may develop the disease at an earlier age than their mothers. There is also a higher risk of bilateral occurrence and a tendency for other malignant tumors to develop in different parts of the body. Additionally, if a family has at least two sisters with breast cancer and their mother is not afflicted by the disease, the susceptibility of this family is about three times higher than average, commonly occurring after menopause, and usually affecting one side. Of course, the influence of human genetic factors on the development of breast cancer is multifaceted. The occurrence of breast cancer is affected not only by genetic factors but also by many other factors, which have a cumulative effect of risks. It is recommended that individuals from families with a history of breast cancer should undergo regular screening, improve their lifestyle, and avoid the accumulation of risk factors, which can also enable earlier detection and treatment of breast cancer that has already developed.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
50sec home-news-image

Breast cancer is a disease.

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor of the breast that can occur in both women and men, though it is more commonly seen in women. Breast cancer arises when breast epithelial cells undergo genetic mutations under the influence of various carcinogenic factors, losing the characteristics of normal cells. Consequently, the structural organization of breast cancer tissue is disrupted, with loose cell connections, allowing cancer cells to easily detach and spread throughout the body via pathways such as blood or lymphatic fluid, leading to metastases in the lungs, brain, bones, etc. Therefore, this disease directly affects patient survival outcomes and should be taken seriously by everyone.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Fan Hong Qiao
Breast Health Department
39sec home-news-image

What is invasive breast cancer?

Invasive breast cancer is the most common tumor in women, accounting for 22% of all malignant tumors in females. Invasive breast cancer refers to a malignant tumor where cancer cells have broken through the basement membrane of the breast ducts or lobular alveoli and invaded the interstitium. The vast majority of invasive breast cancers are adenocarcinomas, originating from the epithelial cells of the breast parenchyma, especially from the terminal duct lobular units. Its characteristics include the tumor's infiltration into adjacent tissues and a marked tendency for distant metastasis.