“A lump can be felt in the breast” ... Male breast cancer kills 14 men a year in ‘this country’ [Health Issue]

[Financial News] Concerns have been raised that cases of delayed diagnosis among men continue to arise because breast cancer is seen as a disease that affects only women. In Costa Rica, Central America, 70 men have died from breast cancer over the past five years.
According to Argentine outlet Infobae on the 19th (local time), 70 men in Costa Rica died of breast cancer between 2021 and 2025, an average of 14 a year.
Male breast cancer is often detected later than breast cancer in women. Women are generally diagnosed at stages 0–1, while men are frequently diagnosed at stages 2–4, reports say. Survival rates decline as the cancer progresses.
Local experts cited a lack of awareness about the disease as the main cause. Because breast cancer is less common in men, they may mistake changes in their breasts for simple inflammation or put off seeking medical care, they said.
Dr. Marni Ramos of the Costa Rican Social Security Fund explained that men often delay going to the hospital, which can also delay diagnosis.
Because men have less breast tissue, tumors can spread to the skin or nipple even when they are small, it is understood. Key symptoms include a lump in the breast, nipple inversion or discharge, skin changes, and swollen lymph nodes in the armpit.
If unusual symptoms appear, they should be checked with a mammogram or ultrasound, and a biopsy should be performed if needed.
Catherine Rudy, an oncologist at the Mayo Clinic in the United States, explained that there is little difference in prognosis between male and female patients when the cancer is detected at the same stage. In other words, early detection determines treatment outcomes.
Professor Yader Sandoval of Universidad Hispanoamericana said, “If you feel a lump in your breast, you should seek medical care even if it doesn’t hurt,” adding, “Breast cancer can occur even if no one in your family has had it.”
[email protected] Seong Min-seo Reporter