Male breast cancer

Dec 1 2008

Mammography and sonography findings help doctors identify and appropriately treat breast cancer in men, according to a study performed at the University of Texas M.D. Cancer Center in Houston, TX.

Image findings from 57 male patients who were diagnosed with breast cancer were reviewed during the study. "The findings show that breast cancer in men most commonly presents itself as a mass with an irregular shape and spiculated (spiky or pointy) margins that may or may not have calcifications. Many men in the study, 47%, also had cancer which had spread to the armpit," said Wei Tse Yang, MD, lead author of the study.

Male breast cancer accounts for less than 1% of all breast cancers and "a large number of men with breast cancer do not undergo imaging prior to treatment either because mammography is not heavily advertised in the male community or because men also may be socially conscious about that part of their anatomy," said Dr. Yang. "Almost 100% of men with breast cancer have a lump they can feel. Men should consult their physician and seek treatment as early as possible when a new mass presents itself in the breast," she said.

"Mammography and sonography are key to aiding primary care physicians with making a quick and accurate diagnosis. They allow for full interrogation of the involved breast and allow for screening of the opposite breast," said Dr. Yang.