Breast cancer can cause several outward symptoms that can be detected by men. Breast lumps in men are never a cyst or fibroadenoma, as in women, because men cannot develop either one of these conditions.

Often, breast lumps in men are not cancer, but gynecomastia. Gynecomastia is an enlargement of one of the breasts and is more common in adolescent boys, but can happen at any time in a man’s life. It may be triggered by taking certain medications for heart conditions or high blood pressure, or by smoking marijuana.

Though most changes in a man’s breast are not serious, anyone (male or female) experiencing any of these signs and symptoms should seek advice from a qualified physician:

• Rash on the skin of the breast, areola or nipple that makes it appear scaly, red or swollen
• Ridges, pitting or dimpling of the breasts
• Fluid from nipples (discharge)
• A lump or thickening in the breast
• A lump in the underarm area
• Nipple tenderness
• A change in the size or shape of the breast
• A nipple turned inward (into the breast)

The signs and symptoms of breast cancer can often go undetected for years. However, depending on the type of tumor and how quickly the mass grows, symptoms become more quickly apparent.

In the majority of breast cancer diagnoses, there is no pain associated with the development of a tumor but anyone experiencing a persistent or unexplained painful area of the breast should consult a physician.