Men and breast cancer: risk factors

Posted on 17 October 2014

Men and women share some of the same risk factors when it comes to developing breast cancer. We take a look at what those risk factors are, specifically for men.

The Breast Health Foundation says about 90% of all male breast cancers present as a breast lump, which is usually painless, 14% with nipple discharge, about 20% with nipple changes and four percent with breast pain. Only three percent are metastatic, which means the cancer has moved from where it first started (the breast) to somewhere else in the body. It’s very important to know your risk factors for male breast caner.

According to CANSA’s Breast Cancer Fact Sheet, the risk factors for male breast cancer are:

1. Growing older: Your risk increases as you age and, since men aren’t as regularly screened for breast cancer as women are, by the time they get diagnosed, they’re already in advanced stages. The average age for a breast cancer diagnosis in men is 67.
2. High oestrogen levels: These increased levels can be caused by taking hormones, being overweight, being exposed to oestrogens in the environment (for example, hormones in beef and traces of the pesticide DDT), alcohol overuse and liver disease.
3. Klinefelter syndrome: Men with Klinefelter syndrome have lower levels of androgens (male hormones) and higher levels of oestrogen (female hormones). Klinefelter syndrome is a condition present at birth that affects about 1 in 1 000 men.
4. A strong family history of breast cancer or genetic alterations: Family history can increase the risk of breast cancer in men – particularly if other men in the family have had breast cancer.
5. Radiation exposure: Having radiation therapy to the chest (to treat Hodgkin’s disease, for example) before age 30, and particularly during adolescence, may increase the risk of developing breast cancer.
6. Alcohol over-use: Drinking more than two standard alcoholic drinks per day. A standard alcoholic drink is equal to:
   • 340ml beer (average 5% alcohol by volume)
   • 120ml wine
   • 25ml liqueur
   • 50ml sherry
   • 25ml spirits (such as brandy, whisky, gin, vodka and cane)
   • Anabolic steroid use.

CANSA support
You can contact the Cancer Association of South Africa by sending them an email or calling 0800 22 66 22 – it’s toll free and open from 08h00 to 16h30 during the week.

The information provided in this article was correct at the time of publishing. At Mediclinic we endeavour to provide our patients and readers with accurate and reliable information, which is why we continually review and update our content. However, due to the dynamic nature of clinical information and medicine, some information may from time to time become outdated prior to revision.