Discovering a Rare Case of Male Breast Cancer
- A chance discovery during a night out led Robert Pfleghardt to a breast cancer diagnosis that had already reached his lymph nodes — a reminder that men often overlook symptoms until the disease has progressed.
- His treatment journey, including a lumpectomy, radiation, and long-term tamoxifen therapy, underscores that male breast cancer is treated much like female breast cancer and highlights the importance of early attention to any chest changes.
- Experts say that treating male breast cancer is largely the same as treating female breast cancer. While men have some special considerations, treatment options depend greatly on various factors, including the size of the tumor, how far the cancer cells have spread, and biological and genetic factors that may be powering your cancer.
- Symptoms of male breast cancer can include a lump in the chest or a thickening in the breast tissue, nipple pain, an inverted nipple, discharge from the nipple, which may be clear or bloody, changes to the color or texture of the nipple, and enlarged lymph nodes under the arm.
- According to Dr. Elizabeth Comen, a medical oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the first step in treating early-stage breast cancer is usually surgery to remove the cancer.
Now, as he awaits more testing, the 62-year-old’s message to other men is that “a lot more men get breast cancer than they know and it spreads without them realizing,” Pfleghardt told SWNS, a U.K.-based news outlet.
Pfledghardt’s treatment included a lumpectomy, where only the tumor and surrounding tissue are removed, followed by radiation therapy to reduce the risk of recurrence.
A lumpectomy is a surgery to remove cancerous or abnormal tissue from the breast. It’s also known as breast-conserving surgery.
WATCH: Choosing between a lumpectomy and a mastectomy.
Then he began taking the chemotherapy drug, tamoxifen.
Tamoxifen is a selective estrogen receptor modulator, which means it works to prevent estrogen from helping cancer cells to grow. It is also used to prevent breast cancer among women who are at high risk for breast cancer because of family history.
For patients who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, they are typically put on the Tamoxifen pill for five to 10 years, and there is evidence that taking it for 10 years is more effective than taking it for five. In addition, it’s a treatment that, when taken alone or in combination with chemotherapy, reduces the chance of breast cancer spreading.
WATCH: How to Deal With the Side Effects of Chemotherapy
“Chemotherapy today is very different from what people remember from decades ago,” says Dr. Matthew Carlson, a gynecologic oncologist at UT Southwestern Medical Center. “Patients aren’t typically vomiting, bedridden for weeks, or constantly coming into the hospital.” Still, modern chemo can cause some nausea.
Preparing for side effects is the best way to manage them. For nausea, doctors often prescribe medications like Zofran. “We have many medications we give before, during, and after chemotherapy to minimize nausea,” Dr. Carlson explains. There are also effective options for constipation and diarrhea, though dietary changes are often tried first.
And then there’s the side effect everyone asks about: hair loss.
“When it comes to chemotherapy‑related hair loss, we can’t keep you with a full head of hair through treatment,” Dr. Carlson says. Hair loss is common with ovarian cancer drugs such as carboplatin and Taxol. But there are ways to cope — wigs, scarves, caps, cutting hair short, and scalp‑cooling devices, which can reduce (though not completely prevent) shedding.
Most importantly, hair loss is temporary. Once treatment ends, hair typically grows back.
Expert Resources for Breast Cancer Patients
- Access to Good Information is Crucial After a Breast Cancer Diagnosis
- Beyond the Pink Ribbon: Debunking Breast Cancer Myths That Won’t Go Away
- ‘It’s A Game Changer’: FDA Approves Keytruda, Chemo Combo To Treat Aggressive Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
- A New Standard: Trial Shows Targeted Drug Enhertu More Effective Than Chemo in Patients With Metastatic HR+, HER2-low Breast Cancer
- Exercise and ‘Chemo Brain’: Can Physical Activity Save Breast Cancer Patients from Brain Fog During Chemotherapy?
Understanding Male Breast Cancer
Like women, men have breast tissue and can develop breast cancer. Breast cancer starts when cells in the breast start growing out of control, typically forming a tumor that’s felt as a lump.
WATCH: Men Get Breast Cancer Too
A man’s risk of developing breast cancer may be higher if there’s a history of breast cancer in the family. Typically, male breast cancer manifests as lumps in the chest area. Factors like a patient’s race can impact the prognosis. Five types of standard treatment are used to treat breast cancer in men:
- Surgery for breast cancer in men mirrors the procedure in women. A modified radical mastectomy removes the whole breast with cancer. The result may involve removing the nipple, according to the National Cancer Institute.
- Chemotherapy involves cancer-killing drugs to prevent the cancer cells from growing. Chemo drugs are usually taken orally or intravenously.
- Hormone therapy involves removing hormones or blocking their ability to help cancer cells grow.
- In radiation therapy, high-energy beams such as X-rays are aimed at cancer cells to kill them.
- Targeted therapy uses drugs designed to target specific cancer cells.
WATCH: Marc Futterweit shares his breast cancer journey.
When Marc Futterweit was told to get a mammogram by his doctor, like Roundtree, he, too, was in disbelief.
“I said, What do you mean by a mammogram?’ I don’t have breasts,” Futterweit recalled saying.
However, a second opinion from another physician confirmed Futterweit had breast cancer.
“When I was first diagnosed, I didn’t tell my wife. I thought I was holding it together,” Futterweit said.
When his family learned he was battling breast cancer, they supported him. Having a support group filled with loved ones is an important part of a cancer patient’s journey toward survivorship, according to experts SurvivorNet has spoken to.
He realized that with their support, having male breast cancer is nothing to be ashamed of.
“Men are basically standing in the shadows; they’re ashamed or embarrassed,” Futterweit says.
“Just remember, it’s nothing that you have done to cause you to get breast cancer. It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s not a woman’s disease,” he continued.
When to Screen for Breast Cancer
The medical community has a broad consensus that women should have annual mammograms between the ages of 45 and 54. However, an independent panel of experts called the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is saying that women should now start getting mammograms every other year at the age of 40, suggesting that this lowered age for breast cancer screening could save 19% more lives.
The American Cancer Society recommends getting a mammogram every other year for women 55 and older. However, women in this age group who want added reassurance can still get annual mammograms.
WATCH: Mammograms are still the best tool for detecting breast cancer.
Women with a strong family history of breast cancer, a genetic mutation known to increase the risk of breast cancer, such as a BRCA gene mutation, or a medical history, including chest radiation therapy before the age of 30, are considered at higher risk for breast cancer.
Experiencing menstruation at an early age (before 12) or having dense breasts can also put you into a high-risk category. If you are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer, you should begin screening earlier.
Regular Self-Exams Are Helpful In Between Mammograms
A self-breast exam is an easy way to monitor your breasts for abnormalities. It involves feeling the breast for swelling, bulging, or changes in the shape of the breast or nipple.
WATCH: How to perform a self-exam.
Checking for signs of redness, rashes, or discharge is also part of this exam. If anything is found that is concerning, you should contact your doctor. It’s important to note that self-exams should be done with regular mammograms.
Help Coping With a Breast Cancer Diagnosis
If you are facing a breast cancer diagnosis, your emotions are likely to run high, which is completely normal. Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik says emotions are often fluid when coping with a diagnosis.
“The patient or person going through the stressful event should accept that emotions will be fluid. You may feel fine one day and then feel a massive wave of stress the next. It’s also important for those you look to for support, whether that’s a therapist, friends, and family, or both, to understand the fluidity of stress-related emotions,” Dr. Plutchik said.
WATCH: How to cope with complex and changing emotions.
If a stressful event affects how you think and feel, it may be time to seek mental health treatment. This could mean traditional talk therapy, medication, changing lifestyle habits (like exercise and diet), seeking a support group, or many other approaches.
SurvivorNet experts suggest that women who need a little extra help coping with a breast cancer diagnosis.
- Let your family and close friends know, and let them help. So many cancer survivors tell us they want and need support, but are often too preoccupied to make specific requests. Urge those close to you to jump in with whatever practical help they can offer.
- Keep a journal. It can be extremely cathartic to let those feelings loose on paper. Grab a pen and a nice journal and chronicle your thoughts throughout the day.
- Join a cancer support group. Groups in nearly every community offer opportunities to connect with others going through a similar journey. You’ll learn constructive insight from others who can tell you what to expect and how to stay strong on tough days.
- Consider seeing a therapist. Ask your doctor to refer you to a therapist so you can discuss your fears and concerns in a safe space. Often, vocalizing your thoughts and feelings rather than internalizing them can provide relief.
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
If you have a breast cancer screening coming up or have recently had one, you may have questions you want answered. SurvivorNet suggests the following questions to kickstart your conversation with your doctor.
- Do I have dense breasts?
- Do I need to undergo additional or more sensitive screening?
- How is my risk level being assessed?
- Will insurance cover additional screening if needed?
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
