Smilow Cancer Hospital breast surgeon explains the facts on male breast cancer and encourages men to talk about it

Mehra Golshan, MD, MBA, clinical director of the Center for Breast Cancer at Smilow Cancer Hospital and Yale Cancer Center explains the latest findings on male breast cancer and what patients need to know. Dr. Golshan is a breast cancer surgeon and a nationally recognized leader in breast cancer treatment and research. He also serves as Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Surgical Services at Smilow Cancer Hospital and is a professor of surgical oncology and the executive vice chair for operations in the department of surgery at the Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Golshan answered some commonly asked questions on male breast cancer

-How rare or common is male breast cancer? 

Male breast cancer accounts for about 1% of all breast cancers diagnosed in the United States, about 2,500 cases a year.

-What is the percentage of men that are affected by it? And what are the mortality rates?

Mortality rates stage for stage are similar to women with breast cancer, however, since we don’t do screening for male breast cancer, there are more late stage disease.  Survival and health outcomes depend on stage of presentation.

-What do men need to know about the condition? What are the symptoms?

There are treatments that often are similar for women with breast cancer. Often a combination of surgery, radiation and drug (chemotherapy/endocrine) therapy.  Symptoms are often a mass/lump behind the nipple.

-How often should men be examined for the condition?

There are no routine screening guidelines for men since its not a common cancer. Noticeable warning signs include changes in the breast, lumps, bumps, nipple discharge, and pain that doesn’t go away, especially if unilateral (one side).

-What are some of the societal stigmas that affect men that might dissuade them from pursuing help?

They often feel that it is a disease or cancer of women and men don’t have “breasts” yet we do have a nipple/areola and breast tissue (albeit usually less) than woman.

-What are the prescribed treatments? What is the recovery rate from male breast cancer?

About a quarter of male breast cancer is “genetic” passed on from generation to generation, most are however sporadic (or no known) reason for developing the disease. The recovery is similar for men when compared with women.  Most men do not undergo reconstruction because there is not a lot of breast tissue they most often need a mastectomy to treat surgically.

-Are there any support groups for those affected?

They exist and patients should absolutely ask their provider to connect them.