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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffCancer is a group of abnormal cells that grow more rapidly than do normal cells. Cancer cells also have the ability to invade and destroy normal tissues, either by growing directly into surrounding structures or after traveling to another part of your body through your bloodstream or lymphatic system. Microscopic cancer cells form small clusters that continue to grow, becoming more densely packed and hard.
In most cases it isn't clear what triggers abnormal cell growth in breast tissue in men. But doctors do know that about one in six cases of breast cancers in men are inherited, compared with about 5 percent to 10 percent of breast cancers in women. Defects in breast cancer gene 1 or 2 (BRCA 1 or BCRA 2) put you at greater risk of developing breast cancer. Other inherited genes also may increase your risk of developing breast cancer. Knowing your family history is important to determine your chance of inheriting an abnormal gene.
Most genetic mutations related to breast cancer aren't inherited, but instead develop during your lifetime. These acquired mutations may result from radiation exposure, such as receiving chest radiation therapy in childhood, or from other, as yet unknown, factors.
