Some of the most obvious symptoms of breast cancer among men are breast lumps, swelling, dimpling around the breast area, nipple retraction, redness, scaling and nipple discharge. Given that men have less breast tissue than women do, these symptoms are more obvious in men and are more dangerous because the cancer can easily invade nearby tissues. However, most men ignore these symptoms.
Men who have male boobs should be worried about breast cancer. In most cases, when a man develops breast cancer - whether or not he has male boobs - the cause is hormonal changes - specifically a rise in estrogen, which is contributed to the development of man boobs.
It is important, however, to realize that man boobs is not a definite indication that one will develop breast cancer as well, and breast cancer is not just a threat for men with man boobs. All men can develop breast cancer. With that said, however, when it comes to breast cancer in older men and young males, Gynecomastia is a factor, even though the condition itself is not cancerous.
You should instantly get an enlarged breast or other abnormalities examined. For diagnosis, clinical breast examination, biopsies, mammograms, breast ultrasounds, even nipple discharge examination can be adopted. Mammograms are said to work better in men than in women because females have a dense breast tissue which makes the process difficult. If the biopsy reveals cancer cell presence, getting the breast tissue tested for presence of estrogen and progesterone is a good idea, since these female hormones can stimulate cancer growth, as is the case with 80% to 90% male breast cancer cases, and can be stopped at source.
If the diagnosed breast cancer has not spread outside the original site, that is, if it is in situ, a mastectomy gives great results. If the cancer is invasive, which means it has metastasized outside the site where the cancer started developing, doctors test it to see how much it has advanced. There are four stages, Stage I being the most curable and more reactive to treatment, and Stage IV meaning the cancer has metastasized beyond the stage where a certain cure is possible. This grading helps doctors determine what kind of treatment is needed for you.
Leading a healthy life during treatment is quintessential. Abstinence from alcohol and curing weight problems go a long way in both prevention and cure of breast cancer. You will always have family and friends for all the help and support you need, and you should never stop yourself from availing that help. Rest assured, you will lead a perfectly happy life thereafter.