Male breast cancer risks and symptoms identified

Male breast cancer is significantly less common than in women, representing approximately 1% of cases. Statistics indicate that for every 100 women diagnosed, one man is affected. Because routine screening such as mammograms is not typically recommended for men, the disease is often discovered later, frequently after an individual notices a lump.

Common symptoms include a palpable, firm lump near the nipple, skin changes such as redness or wrinkling, nipple retraction, discharge, localized swelling, or enlarged lymph nodes in the armpit or near the clavicle. The most frequent type in men is ductal carcinoma.

Key risk factors include advanced age (particularly between 60 and 70), hereditary genetic mutations such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, and Klinefelter syndrome. Other contributing factors include family history, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, excessive alcohol consumption, radiation exposure to the chest, and liver diseases like cirrhosis that affect hormonal balance.