The Difference Between Male and Female Breast Cancer

Breast cancer develops in both men and women. This chapter discusses the classic features of breast cancer in both sexes highlighting the differences and more often the similarities between them. In the chapter, there is description of various hormonal, lifestyle, and genetic factors reported to play a role in the development of breast carcinoma. However, most individuals of either gender who develop breast cancer have no apparent risk factor for the disease, and most male patients have no detectable hormonal imbalances. Breast cancer in males generally occurs a decade later than breast cancer in females with a mean age of presentation ranging from 60 to 65 years. Because of the proximity of breast ducts to the skin, other manifestations, such as, nipple retraction, fixation, ulceration, edema, and discharge can also occur frequently in men. The most common histology of male breast cancer is infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Male breast cancer is classically described as having a poorer prognosis than female breast cancer suggesting that, in males, it is a more aggressive disease. However, evidence is accumulating, which suggests that the disease is biologically similar in the two genders. Despite this, a poorer survival in men is a consistent finding.