Male breast cancer accounts for 0.5 to 1% of all breast cancers diagnosed each year. Breast cancer incidence increases with age and males are typically 5 to 10 years older than women at the time of diagnosis. The yearly incidence of breast cancer in males has increased, with a rise of 26% in the last 10 to 15 years, says a cancer surgeon in Kolkata.

Systematic studies of the literature have summarised the risk factors for breast cancer in males, which are discussed here. However, most males with breast cancer have no known risk factors.

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Family history and genetics

A first-degree relative's breast cancer history is connected with an elevated risk of breast cancer in men. Around 15% to 20% of males with breast cancer have a family history of the illness. The majority of known hereditary breast cancer cases are caused by two breast/ovarian cancer genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2.

Male breast cancer risk appears to be greater with inherited BRCA2 mutation than BRCA1 mutation. Men with BRCA2 mutations have an estimated 6% lifetime absolute risk of breast cancer, representing a 100-fold increase in risk; BRCA1 mutations are uncommon. Up to 14% of males with breast cancer are referred for genetic counselling and BRCA testing, says the breast cancer surgeon in Kolkata.

Primary testicular disorders

Orchitis, undescended testicles (cryptorchidism) and testicular damage are all testicular diseases linked to an elevated risk of breast cancer in males. 

People are becoming more obese as a result of our sedentary lifestyle and other lifestyle factors such as alcoholic liver disease, drug addiction and a high incidence of subclinical thyroid disease, as well as premature birth with undescended testicles, are all contributing to the rising incidence of male breast cancer. Hormones included in male grooming products may be indirectly responsible for hypogonadism and increasing the risk of developing breast cancer in males, says the cancer surgeon in Kolkata.