I’m male is it common to have breast cancer?

Posted by weleyo @weleyo, Feb 28 8:50am

The last couple days I’ve noticed that my left breast area is larger than my right breast and just under my left nipple there is a lump although I noticed the lump a few years back but completely forgot to ask about it to my doctor. But there is also like a tender pain like someone poked me with a finger hard. Plus I do have congestive heart failure with a pacemaker. What type of scan would I need to verify what it is?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Breast Cancer Support Group.

Arvind Natarajan | @malebreastcancer47 | Feb 28 1:26pm

Mammogram, and if needed, doctors will do an ultrasound. A biopsy will confirm cancer or not.

Men get breast cancer, its less than 2%.

katgob | @katgob | Feb 28 9:43pm

Men do get it. In my union, a main fellow that presented had it in one breast. It was cancer. His medical plan did not believe men get the same cancers. A few years later he got cancer in his other breast. The health plan would not preemptively remove the other breast.
Biopsy 1st.
Above all else, be kind to yourself. Do the next indicated thing and make sure a breast center is part of your plan. They know men do get breast cancer.

gently | @gently | Mar 1 1:07am

Breast cancer is extremely rare in men. I'm guessing that the pacemaker is causing the enlargement. You'd probably fare best with a specialized sonogram or CT to look at the neglected lump because of the pacemaker. You really have to get both checked. Hope it's just a cyst, they are much more common.

beyourownadvocate | @beyourownadvocate | Mar 1 7:48am

Yes, men can get breast cancer and your doctor will determine what type of testing you’ll need.
Prayers to you.

deebee41 | @deebee41 | Mar 1 10:15am

DIAGNOSED FROM A ct SCAN,VERY SMALL STAGE 1 .bY THE TIME IWAS SCHEDULED FOR SURGERY, 7 MONTHS LATER IT HAD GONE TO STAGE 2 AND METASTIZED TO ARM LYMPH NODE. BEST TO GET SCANS SOON, THEN BIOPSY.

Arvind Natarajan | @malebreastcancer47 | Mar 1 10:55am

If you do have breast cancer, this is a podcast interview where I explain how to process, manage emotions, cultural bias. Others are interviewed that explain why men get it, treatment options are and research.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cancer-caregiver/id1504166813

marceille08 | @marceille08 | Mar 1 4:18pm

I know 2 men that have had breast cancer. Both had lumps found by their wives. One was my cousin who carried the BRAC2 gene. Had a lump in one breast. It was cancerous. Other breast nothing was found before surgery. He opted for a double mastectomy and pathology found cancer in the second breast also. PLEASE be vigilant. He is fine and 6 years out. Wishing you strength and good luck.

Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Mar 14 1:09pm

@weleyo, just wanted to check in to see if you were able to schedule an appointment with your doctor to get things looked at. Yes, men can get breast cancer. Better to be safe and get it looked at.

Has anything changed with your breast or tenderness since you wrote your original message? Have you talked to your doctor about your concern?

weleyo | @weleyo | Mar 14 3:40pm

Yes, I went to my doctor and have a mammogram and ultrasound scheduled for the 19th. Super scared about it also and definitely not what I need in my current life situation either. I am fully disabled awaiting the approval from SSDI & SSI so I can find a place to live. I am currently homeless and living in a small tent in the woods or if the weather gets worse I stay in my car. I honestly have no idea how I am going to survive all this including my own health issues CHF, COPD etc. then if it comes back positive for Cancer I will be devastated. The lump has doubled in size and my nipple has been sucked in and painful. It’s just above the nipple starting at 11:00 when the doctor seen me last Monday. Almost looks as if I had an A-cup breast.