Mammography and Ultrasound Key to Detection of Breast Cancer in Men

Mammography and sonography findings are helping clinicians identify and appropriately treat breast cancer in men.

Image findings from 57 male patients who were diagnosed with breast cancer were reviewed during the study. "The findings show that breast cancer in men most commonly presents itself as a mass with an irregular shape and spiculated (spiky or pointy) margins that may or may not have calcifications. Many men in the study, 47%, also had cancer which had spread to the armpit,” said Wei Tse Yang, M.D., from the University of Texas M.D. Cancer Center (Houston, TX, USA), and lead author of the study.

Male breast cancer accounts for less than 1% of all breast cancers and "a large number of men with breast cancer do not undergo imaging prior to treatment either because mammography is not heavily advertised in the male community or because men also may be socially conscious about that part of their anatomy,” said Dr. Yang. "Almost 100% of men with breast cancer have a lump they can feel. Men should consult their physician and seek treatment as early as possible when a new mass presents itself in the breast. Mammography and sonography are key to primary care physicians n making a quick and accurate diagnosis. They allow for full interrogation of the involved breast and allow for screening of the opposite breast.”

The study was published in the December 2008 issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR).

Related Links:
University of Texas M.D. Cancer Center