Breast cancer is regarded as a typical women’s cancer, but it can strike men too. Men are about 100 times less likely to get breast cancer than women. About 1% to 3% of all breast cancers affect the health of men.

The causes of male breast cancer are not known. The risk factors may be genetic disorders, radiation exposure during childhood as well as adulthood, xeno-estrogens from the food, air and soil, liver diseases, obesity, excess alcohol consumption and many other not known risk factors.

Most often men get breast cancer when they are between 60 and 70 years old.

The common signs of female and male breast cancers are the same. About 35% of the male breast cancers are diagnosed only in advanced stages. But in women less than 10% have advanced cancer when they come to the doctor. The reasons are the breast size and almost no awareness. This is in Western countries. In developing and emerging countries we do not have clear statistics.

The best way to prevent male breast cancer is to change the lifestyle to reduce the risk factors. They include:

• No smoking
• Limit the alcohol quantity – only social drinking is good to your health
• Avoid processed food, particularly processed meat and meat products
• Avoid trans fats – these are almost in all snacks
• Reduce weight – obesity is a risk factor for many cancers
• Eat more deep green vegetables
• Eat more coloured and ripe fruits
• Avoid xeno-estrogens
• Avoid radiation
• Avoid air pollution
• Persons with white skin need more vitamin D than others. 20 min sunlight is enough
• Regular exercise will reduce the risk of all cancers

It is better to talk to your doctor about breast cancer. If you go for your regular medical check after you are above 60 years old ask him also about this.