Rare case of breast cancer in men discovered

Breast cancer is a common disease in women, but very rare in men with a rate of 1/1,000 with high malignancy.

Doctors in surgery to treat a patient - Photo: BVCC

Doctors at Bai Chay Hospital have just removed a rare breast cancer tumor from an 86-year-old man.

Patient PVD (86 years old, in Thai Ninh commune, Hung Yen province) had a history of high blood pressure, examined at Bai Chay Hospital with a rapidly growing tumor in the right breast, causing severe pain, affecting daily activities.

Ultrasound and chest CT scan results showed a tumor measuring 47 x 33 x 36mm in the soft tissue of the right breast and small axillary lymph nodes on both sides.

The biopsy results confirmed right breast carcinoma stage cT2N0M0. The doctors consulted with oncology specialists and decided on the treatment direction of right mastectomy with axillary lymph node dissection, to completely remove the lesion and the risk of metastasis.

During the surgical observation, the tumor was about 4.5 x 3cm in size, with firm density and unclear boundaries, located in the glandular parenchyma, and had not invaded the skin or chest wall. The doctor completely removed the right breast, examined the right axilla, removed the axillary lymph nodes, and preserved the nerves and blood vessels in the axilla as much as possible. The cut surface was negative for cancer.

The surgery was safe and without complications. After 5 days of intensive care and treatment, the patient recovered well and was discharged from the hospital.

This is a very rare disease in men, if there is a patient, it is usually over 50 years old, accounting for 1/1,000 of all cancers in general but has a very high malignancy.

According to doctors at Bai Chay Hospital, breast cancer in men is often overlooked due to its rarity. By the time patients come for examination and are diagnosed, it is too late when the tumor has invaded or metastasized.

The risk of the disease also increases in the elderly, those with genetic factors, endocrine disorders or chronic diseases. Worryingly, due to the thin structure of male breast tissue, tumors can easily invade the skin and chest wall, metastasize to the liver, lungs, bones, and the disease progression is often more severe than in women.

On the other hand, breast cancer in men is common in elderly patients, often with serious underlying diseases, leading to difficulties in diagnosis and treatment.

The symptoms of breast cancer in men are similar to those in women, with signs such as: swelling around the breast, the appearance of small, hard lumps around the breast, rough skin around the breast. The nipple is sunken inward, sometimes bleeding or pus. The nipple is shrunken, the surrounding skin is scaly.

"A noticeable feature of breast cancer is that the tumor can easily move. Therefore, if you discover that the lymph nodes in your armpit are swollen for a long time, you should see a doctor as soon as possible," the doctor emphasized.

With this disease in men as well as in women, there are good treatment results if detected early. In which, wide mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection are the main methods of radical treatment. Then, depending on each specific stage of the disease, the patient is prescribed a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

Although rare, breast cancer in men often progresses rapidly and is difficult to treat if detected late. Therefore, men should not be subjective, promptly recognize abnormalities in the breast such as swelling, lumps, lymph nodes... for timely examination and treatment.

HA TUONG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/phat-hien-ca-ung-thu-vu-hiem-gap-o-nam-gioi-20250926144003895.htm