Dr., I am a 52 year old male that stopped smoking and drinking over 30 years ago. Recently I started having tenderness around my left breast. Yesterday I noticed that I now have swelling around the same breast and it is more tender. My mother had breast cancer thus I am concerned.

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Dr. Joshua’s Answer:

Male breast cancer is rare. For every 100 breast cancers, one is in a male. In the U.S., about 2,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Some genetic syndromes and familial (lots of breast cancer cases in the family) cancer increase the risk of male breast cancer.?

However, tenderness is generally not a first symptom of cancer, although it is possible. It’s more likely the symptom of inflammation, or infection, as is swelling.

You probably do not have breast cancer, but as always I would recommend that you see your own doctor about this and have your breast examined.

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