BLOG: Men. Are you breast cancer aware?

Men’s cancers and mental wellness

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You may already know someone who has breast cancer – or who has had it – and that’s not surprising. Breast cancer affects one in eight women in the UK at some point during their lives – one in five of them before the age of 50.

Breast cancer in men

What you might not know is that breast cancer also affects men. Although it’s rarer, it’s estimated that about 350 men are also diagnosed with breast cancer every year in the UK. So, whether you’re male or female, checking regularly for signs of breast cancer just might save your life.

Men have a small amount of breast tissue behind their nipples, and that’s where their cancer can start. It’s rare, affecting only about one in every 1000, but not so rare or unusual that men can afford to miss the symptoms.

Breast cancer is more common in older men, with age being one of the so-called risk factors. In fact, most breast cancers are diagnosed in men aged between 60 and 70. That’s later in life than for most women diagnosed with breast cancer.

And why is that? One reason is that men typically delay going to see their doctor until their symptoms become severe. And, of course, breast screening (mammogram) is routinely offered to women aged 50-71 in the UK.