Male breast cancers are typically lumps that are one-sided, non-tender, firm-to-hard in texture and not movable under the skin .

Pink is traditionally considered as a female color, and when breast cancer awareness was popularized in the 1980s, the pink ribbon became a symbol for hope and empowerment among women afflicted with breast cancer. It also helped promote patient self-awareness and forged partnerships between organizations for more research and increased access to health services to battle this disease.

While breast cancer occurs primarily in women, it can occur in men as well. Men have less breast tissue than women, but some cells can become cancerous. Male breast cancer makes up less than one percent of all cases of breast cancer and is usually detected in men between 60 and 70 years of age.

Most breast lumps in men are usually benign enlargements of the male glandular breast tissue and is a condition called gynecomastia. This can happen is just one or both breasts, and when examined by a doctor, a rubbery, movable lump can be felt just under the nipple area, measuring at least 0.5 cm up to 2.0 cm in diameter. There can also be some tenderness in the affected area in the early stages.

In the absence of this palpable lump on examination, the breast may be made up of mostly fatty tissue (pseudogynecomastia or lipomastia), which is due to an increase in breast fat and not glandular tissue.

Male breast cancers are typically lumps that are one-sided, non-tender, firm-to-hard in texture and not movable under the skin. These are also often found off to the side and not under the nipple. There can also be some dimpling in the skin like an orange peel.

If this differentiation cannot be made by physical examination, a breast ultrasound or mammography should be done.

Gynecomastia is most commonly caused by an imbalance between the hormones estrogen and testosterone. Both hormones are present in both men and women, with women making more estrogen that controls female traits, including breast growth, and men making more testosterone that controls male traits, such as muscle mass and body hair. Although each of these hormones produces the usual traits seen in males and females, males produce a small amount of estrogen and females produce a small amount of testosterone.

Male estrogen levels that are too high or are out of balance with testosterone levels cause gynecomastia.

Gynecomastia can occur naturally at different times in a male’s life.

After birth, more than half of newborn boys have enlarged breasts because of the estrogen they received from their mothers while developing in the womb. The gynecomastia goes away within two to three weeks after birth.

At puberty (usually from 12-14 years old), changing hormone levels can cause breast enlargement, but this usually goes away six months to two years after the start of puberty.

At mid-life and beyond, breast enlargement often peaks in men between the ages of 50 and 80. About one in four men in this age range have breast enlargement.

Any male should see a doctor if the breasts:

Have a lump bigger than 2-3 inches under the nipple or a very hard lump that is off to the side of the nipple

Have grown and you also have a lump on one of your testes, or you think you might have another illness

Some other medical conditions can cause gynecomastia:

Tumors in the testicles or adrenal glands

Certain drugs can also cause gynecomastia, including:

Herbal treatments that contain tea tree oil and lavender

Intake of excessive alcohol and prohibited substances such as amphetamines and marijuana can also cause gynecomastia.

Once offending medications or underlying conditions are treated, the gynecomastia often goes away. A medication called tamoxifen can also be used for a short while. If the breast enlargement persists despite these, surgery to reduce the size of the breasts can be done.

For most cases of gynecomastia, treatment is often not needed, but discuss the options with your doctor to find the one that’s right for you. It will depend on the cause of your condition, how long it has lasted, how severe it is, and how much it hurts or bothers you.