Breast cancer affects men too! What are his symptoms?

Not many people know that breast cancer in men is same cancer as in women. Of course, the frequency of its detection is much lower, and therefore men do not pay special attention to the initial symptoms and seek medical help late. Whereas with timely diagnosis and full treatment, breast cancer in men has a favorable prognosis.

Overview of Breast Cancer

A cancerous process in a man’s body is the occurrence of a malfunction in the gene site, due to which a breast tumor is formed directly. The affected cells begin to divide uncontrollably and quickly, gradually spreading throughout the body. Later, in the absence of a therapeutic effect, cancer goes to neighboring, and even distant, parts of the man’s body.

At the initial stage of its occurrence, breast cancer in men does not manifest itself in any way. This is its main danger. After all, preventive medical examinations rarely include a thorough examination of a man’s mammary glands.

Types of male breast cancer

In general, the structure of the mammary gland in a man is very similar to that in women. This leads to a variety of forms of male breast cancer:

Ductal carcinoma – cancer cells develop only inside the ducts of the gland, spread to neighboring tissues is rare.
An invasive form of ductal carcinoma – atypical cells, in addition to the ducts themselves, are also detected in neighboring tissues.
Focal invasive cancer – arising in the lobules of the breast, it gradually spreads further, for example, to the lymph nodes, and to more distant organs.
The inflammatory variant of breast cancer in men is diagnosed extremely rarely, but it is characterized by maximum aggressiveness. Cancer cells can block the lymph structures of the gland with a pronounced violation of lymph outflow.
Angiosarcoma – more often formed in men undergoing radiation therapy for another malignant tumor. The lymphatic and circulatory structures are affected.

To make an accurate diagnosis – breast cancer in men, to determine its shape and stage, as well as to select the optimal treatment regimen for a highly qualified specialist. It is not recommended to delay the consultation at the slightest deviation in health.

Symptoms of the expanded stage

If a man prefers to ignore the early signs of cancer in his mammary glands, attributing them to other conditions that are not related to malignant tumors, then the disease is progressing steadily.

During the transition from the first stage to the second, cancer is manifested by the following characteristic symptoms, by which one can suspect its formation:

growing pain in the tumor area – discomfort worries more and more often, more and more intensely;
directly above the focus, either tissue protrusion or wrinkling is visually noted;
hyperemia or darkening of the color of the halo, nipple – can be of varying severity, from subtle differences to conspicuous changes;
barely perceptible or voluminous discharge from the nipples – droplets of a transparent liquid or the presence of an admixture of blood, pus in it;
less often ulceration is observed – small-point at the initial stage, during the transition to more severe stages, they can be crater-like, extensive, with various secretions and a repulsive odor;
weakness, weight loss, increased fatigue, and hyperthermia are manifestations inherent in stage 3-4 cancer.

The aforementioned symptoms of breast cancer in men make it possible to make a diagnosis as soon as a man seeks medical help for the first time. However, it must be confirmed by laboratory and instrumental examinations.

Diagnostics and treatment

In addition to a thorough history and physical examination – palpation, percussion, auscultation, the specialist prescribes laboratory and instrumental confirmation methods diagnosis of breast cancer in men.

To visualize – to determine the volume and prevalence of cancer, the involvement of neighboring tissues helps the ultrasound of the mammary glands. Chest X-ray – clarifies the presence of metastases.

However, to verify cancer – its shape and stage, it is possible to take biomaterial directly from the tumor. The biopsy is performed under ultrasound control, so the result is highly accurate. This article describes in more detail how to determine the stage of breast cancer.

The tactics of treating cancer of the male breast also resemble the methods used for tumors in women. Its main principles are complexity and timeliness. So, with an arch in iron, the following methods can be used:

surgical excision of the primary focus – at the initial stage of tumor formation, without the presence of metastases in other tissues;
exposure to modern medicines – chemotherapy allows you to suppress the growth and reproduction of cancer cells, even when they are distant from the primary focus;
radiation therapy – has proven itself well at the initial stage of cancer, when it is required to reduce the size of the tumor before its surgical removal;
hormone therapy – often this method is indispensable since it is necessary to correct the effect of estrogens on the man’s body.

Alternative methods of treating breast cancer in men do not completely get rid of the tumor. To fully recover, you need to follow all the doctor’s recommendations, adhere to the foundations of a healthy lifestyle, and vitamin therapy.

Breast cancer is not a death sentence for a man. You can overcome a tumor if you tune incorrectly and consult a doctor on time.