Breast Pathology and Cancer Diagnosis

Male Breast Cancer

Breast cancer in men is a rare disease. Less than 1% of all breast cancers occur in men. Man, and women, girls and boys all have breast tissues. The various hormones in girls' and women's bodies stimulate the breast tissue to grow into full breasts. Boys' and men's bodies normally don't make much of the breast-stimulating hormones. As a result, their breast tissue usually stays flat and small. But sometimes men can develop real breast gland tissue because they take certain medicines or have abnormal hormone levels. In 2018, about 2,550 men are expected to be diagnosed with the disease. For men, the lifetime risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000.