Male breast cancer.
Breast cancer in men is rare, but it does happen.
Can men get breast cancer?
Yes, they can. Around 400 men in the UK are diagnosed each year, most between the ages of 60 and 70. That's 400 too many.
Men are often diagnosed later because they aren't aware of the risks or the signs. But with a little knowledge, we can change that. It's time to take control of your health. Prevention and early awareness can make a big difference.
Key facts about breast cancer in men.
Around 400 UK men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year.
Men are often diagnosed between the ages of 60 - 75.
That's roughly 5 -10 years later than the average for women.
The vast majority of male cases are invasive breast cancer of no special type.
Who's at risk?
There are several risk factors that can increase a man's breast cancer risk including:
- Getting older.
- Having a family history of breast cancer or inherited gene mutations (such as BRCA2). About 20% of male patients have a close family member who have had breast cancer.
- Having a rare genetic condition called Klinefelter's syndrome, where men are born with an extra X chromosome.
- Having high levels of oestrogen.
- Have previously had radiation exposure due to medical treatment.
- Being overweight or obese.
- Liver damage.
- Inflammation or damage to testes.
- Not exercising.
- Taking synthetic hormones associated with male-to-female gender reassignment.
- Other factors that may be linked to an increased risk of male breast cancer include having an unhealthy diet and not eating enough fruit and vegetables, drinking high amounts of alcohol, exposure to environmental chemicals and infertility.
Don’t ignore changes. Visit your GP if you have symptoms.
Visit our check your breast and chest page for signs, symptoms and instructions on how to check.
How to check your chest
Your next steps.
Knowing the facts is powerful — but acting on them is even more important. Whether you’re looking after your own health or supporting someone else, here are some simple, practical ways to move forward. Together, we can spread the word, raise awareness, and save lives:
- Share this page with people you trust; think friends, family, colleagues who may not know.
- If you notice anything unusual, don’t delay, contact your GP.
- Think about your own lifestyle: small changes add up.
- If you've been diagnosed, you're part of a community. Men's Virtual Meet-Up (VMU) is a safe space to connect with other men who understand exactly what you're going through.
Ready to get started?
Take our quick prevention quiz, answer a few lifestyle questions and get your personalised action plan to help you reduce your risk of breast cancer.
Take our quiz
Last review: Oct-26 | Next review: Feb-27.
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Zhao L, Cheng H, He D, et al. Decoding male breast cancer: epidemiological insights, cutting-edge treatments, and future perspectives. Discover Oncology 2025;16:360. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12672-025-02140-y
Cruz-Tapias P, Rubiano W, Rondón-Lagos M, et al. Intrinsic subtypes and androgen receptor gene expression in primary breast cancer. A meta-analysis. Biology (Basel) 2021;10:834. https://doi.org/10.3390/BIOLOGY10090834/S1
Fox S, Speirs V, Shaaban AM. Male breast cancer: an update. Virchows Archiv 2022;480:85–93. https://doi.org/10.1007/S00428-021-03190-7/FIGURES/2
Fentiman IS. Risk factors for male breast cancer. Am J Transl Res 2023;15:6918–25. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38186995/
NHS. Breast cancer in men n.d. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/breast-cancer-in-men/ (accessed August 7, 2023)
