Male breast cancer

Some folks may wonder if men have breasts, and the truth is that all men have breasts! There is breast tissue behind the nipples of a male's chest, and as your questions indicate, men can get breast cancer. While diagnoses and treatment (more on these later) for breast cancer is similar for males and females, there is a big difference in prevalence. Breast cancer occurs quite infrequently in men, accounting for only one percent of all male cancers, and less than one percent of all breast cancer cases. In 2015, it's estimated that about 2,350 new cases of breast cancer in biological males and 231,840 cases in biological females will be diagnosed in the United States. As for your concern specifically, Reader, it may be reassuring for you to know that although male breast cancer can happen at any age, it's extremely rare for boys under 18 (the average age of a male breast cancer patient is about 68 years old). That being said, kudos to you for paying attention to any changes you may have seen in your breasts. However, it's also good to know that while the presence of any atypical lumps, bumps, or changes in your breasts could be due to cancer, it may also be due to a different noncancerous condition, or even just a stage of life.