Male breast cancer–going for a mammogram–what should I expect?
CommanderCrusty asked:
I have a suspicious lump under one nipple and my doctor is sending me for a mammogram. I’d like to hear from other men who have been through this. Also, if it is “breast” cancer, what should I expect? I did seek treatment within one week of finding the lump. I do not have a skin rash or discharge from the nipple. I am age 48, normal body weight, and no I don’t have “man boobs” or smoke.
PS
Let’s keep the jokes to a minimum, please.
I+believe+guys+can+get+breast+cancer+only+of+thay+suffer+from+gynoclomasty-+which+is+breast+tissue+in+men.+Cancer+does+not+have+a+discharge+nor+can+you+feel+cancer.+Relax+it+may+be+that+a+blood+vessel+bust+happened+to+me+ended+me+in+the+hospital+for+5+days+back+in+january+b%2Fc+it+turned+into+a+staff+infection.
I%27m+not+a+man%2C+but+as+a+small-breasted+female%2C+I+can+tell+you+the+mammogram+will+be+a+bit+uncomfortable.+They+grab+you+%28gently%2C+mind+you%29+and+try+to+squish+all+your+tissue+between+the+collarbone+and+the+bottom+of+the+breast+onto+the+bottom+plate%2C+then+the+top+plate+is+lowered+to+compress+the+tissue+as+much+as+possible.+Just+suck+it+in+and+bear+it.+They+have+to+compress+the+tissue+to+get+clear+pictures.+Your+face+is+pushed+up+against+the+equipment+and+it+seems+like+it%27s+going+to+go+on+forever.+But+it%27s+over+pretty+quickly.+Often+they+take+more+than+2+views+if+you%27re+imaging+a+suspicious+area%2C+so+they+can+zoom+in+and+enlarge+the+pictures.+%0A%0AIf+the+mammograms+don%27t+resolve+the+matter%2C+they+will+either+recommend+an+ultrasound%2C+which+can+distinguish+between+cysts+and+tumors%2C+or+a+biopsy%2C+which+kind+of+is+the+final+test+to+see+if+the+lump+is+cancerous.%0A%0AIf+it+is%2C+you%27ll+have+lots+more+questions%2C+so+come+back+and+ask+them+when+the+results+are+in.%0A%0AAnd+try+not+to+worry.+Even+in+women%2C+most+lumps+are+not+cancer.%0A%0AAnd+don%27t+worry+about+jokes.+Anyone+who+does+it+here+is+an+idiot%2C+and+the+medical+people+will+treat+you+with+respect+and+dignity%2C+as+they+would+anyone+else.
Not+much+to+add+to+Inverse%27s+excellent+answer%3B+just+that+has+a+section+specifically+for+men+on+their+forums%2C+and+you%27re+likely+to+find+more+men+with+experience+of+mammograms+there.%0A%0AGood+luck
Inverses%27+answer+is+very+good+and+while+I+don%27t+have+much+to+add%2C+there+is+a+website%2C%2C+that+might+have+some+information+of+interest.%0A%0AI+know+several+men+who+are+breast+cancer+survivors.+You+won%27t+be+getting+jokes+from+us+about+it%21%0A%0AGood+luck…..+God+bless+you%21
Hello%2C%0A%0ASorry+to+hear+about+your+lump.+Not+all+of+them+are+breast+cancer%2C+but+you+will+likely+be+referred+to+a+surgeon+who+will+examine+you+and+possibly+perform+a+biopsy.+If+the+biopsy+shows+cancer%2C+the+surgeon+will+likely+recommend+a+larger+scale+operation+to+more+adequately+remove+the+lump.+Then+you+would+be+evaluated+for+possible+chemotherapy+and%2For+radiotherapy.%0A%0ABest+Regards%2C%0A%0AJohn+Di+Saia+MD
I am a mammographer. Been doing mammograms for 31 years.
I do about a dozen “man-o-grams” a year.
If I remember the statistics, of the tens of thousands of women with breast cancer each year, under 700 are men.
The mammogram is the same for men as women. Your pecs are pulled in between two plates and pictures are taken: a couple each side.
You are doing perfectly by seeing a doc right away.
A surgeon may biopsy the lump to check it for cancer, and treatment for breast cancer in the male is the same for women: axillary lymph biopsy then a treatment plan that may or may not include chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.