There are some things a man can do to lower his risk of breast cancer. Maintaining an ideal body weight and restricting alcohol are two of these. But because the cause of most breast cancers is not known, there is no known way to prevent them.

For now, the best strategies for reducing the number of deaths caused by this disease are early detection and prompt treatment. Early detection has been a problem for men, who tend to ignore breast lumps and see their doctor only when they have gotten large. In general, men are diagnosed with cancers at more advanced stages than are women.

Last Medical Review: 09/24/2008
Last Revised: 05/13/2009