Warning over male breast cancer

Men are dying needlessly from breast cancer because they are unaware of the symptoms or are too embarrassed to seek help, an expert on the disease says.

Professor Ian Fentiman says around 250 men are diagnosed with the disease in the UK yearly - with 70 dying from it.

But half of male patients are not diagnosed until their cancer is very advanced, the Guy's Hospital expert writes in an article for the Lancet.

Common signs are a painless lump in the chest or an inwardly turned nipple.


But these can also be symptomatic of gynaecomastia - a harmless swelling under the nipple.

Professor Fentiman said: "If diagnosed early enough, a man with breast cancer has between 75% - 100% chance of making a full recovery, but this can drop to as low as 30% for men with very advanced disease."

He added: "The main concern is that it's just something about which most are totally ignorant.

"If we look at the length of time it takes men who find a lump to go to their GP - it's about 16 months.

"Men are just not thinking about it."

He explained that this means that when they finally do reach hospital, their breast cancer is far advanced and the chances of survival rates are far lower.


Support networks

But he said treatment for male breast cancer was as effective as it was for female breast cancer, providing it was picked up early enough.

His research also found that interviews with male patients highlighted a particular need for sex-specific information on male breast cancer as well as support.

Men also complain of a lack of information and emotional support, he said and this needed to be addressed at a national level.

Professor Fentiman added: "There is evident need for national protocols for both information and support for men diagnosed with breast cancer."


A Department of Health spokeswoman said the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence had produced guidance on breast cancer for the NHS which was not gender specific and applies equally to men and women.

"We work with the voluntary sector to help provide information on a large number of rarer cancers, such as male breast cancer," she added.

Martin Ledwick, cancer information nurse manager at Cancer Research UK, said: "As breast cancer in men is rare, having it can be very isolating.

"Also, as it is a cancer that is usually associated with women, it can have a big emotional impact on men.

"This heightens the need for information and support, which is why we have a section on our patient information website, CancerHelp UK, specifically about male breast cancer."

Dr Sarah Rawlings, head of policy at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said it was rare for men to get breast cancer.


Male forum

But she added: "It's important that men get to know what is normal for them and report any unusual changes to their doctor as soon as possible. The earlier breast cancer is detected the easier it is to treat."

Liz Carroll, head of clinical services for Breast Cancer Care, said it was important to recognise that breast cancer can affect men as well as women.

"Professor Fentiman rightly points out that much more must be done to ensure information and help is getting through.

"Our website features a forum for men with breast cancer to share their experiences and some former patients help others through our unique peer support scheme."