Don't ignore that men can also get breast cancer

Although breast cancer is rare in men, it can occur and is often diagnosed at a later age in men than in women.

Each year in the United States, about 2,000 cases of male breast cancer are diagnosed, and about 500 die from the disease. Breast cancer can occur at any age, but male breast cancer is most commonly diagnosed in men between the ages of 60 and 70, 5 to 10 years later than female breast cancer.

Dr. Tatiana Prowell, FDA oncologist and breast cancer scientist, said: "Male breast cancer is usually diagnosed at a later age than in women. Because men have smaller breasts, even if they see a lump, they don't think it's cancerous, while most women will immediately assume the worst if they feel a lump in their breast."

Because male breast cancer accounts for 1% of all breast cancer cases, there is little research into treatments for male breast cancer. Historically, men have been excluded from breast cancer clinical trials, and we are now actively encouraging pharmaceutical companies to include men in all breast cancer clinical trials unless there is a valid scientific reason not to do so.

The number of clinical trials for male breast cancer is still small because male breast cancer is a rare disease, but any relevant information will help men facing this disease.

Most men can initially be diagnosed with breast cancer by palpating a painless lump, but the disease is often not diagnosed until a painful lump develops.