As Breast Cancer Awareness Month turns Yorkshire pink, experts warn one group is still being overlooked – the men who can also be diagnosed with the disease.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month typically focuses on women. But men are also affected. Around 390 men are diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in the UK every year, accounting for less than 1% of all breast cancer cases. Despite this rarity, the disease often goes undetected until later stages, partly because awareness remains low among both the public and professionals. 

In Yorkshire, where men already face higher cancer rates compared to many parts of the country, the gap in understanding male breast cancer presents a pressing concern. While efforts around breast cancer in women have achieved broad recognition, male cases continue to lack the same visibility, funding, and public discussion.

Why male breast cancer often misses early detection

Since breast cancer is widely perceived as a female disease. Men, and even some GPs, may dismiss signs such as lumps, nipple changes, or skin alterations. By the time diagnosis occurs, many male patients already have lymph node involvement or advanced disease, contributing to poorer outcomes. 

The diagnostic process is the same for men and women: clinical examination, mammography or ultrasound, and biopsy remain standard practice. Yet because male breast tissue is minimal, imaging can be more challenging and early growths may go unnoticed. 

Regional context: Yorkshire’s cancer burden and research

In 2021 alone, over 16,000 men in Yorkshire were diagnosed with cancer. Research suggests that 38% of male cancers are preventable, reinforcing the need for focused strategies. Yorkshire Cancer Research has backed work into male-specific cancer programmes, and several male breast cancer research efforts have involved regional institutions. 

Back in 2017, a team including researchers from Yorkshire screened tumour samples from more than 700 men. They found that certain proteins were elevated in many cases, correlating with worse survival outcomes. This kind of regional research helps build awareness, treatment insights, and potential diagnostic markers specific to men.

What’s changing: awareness, funding and clinical focus

Health professionals say male breast cancer continues to receive limited attention compared to female cases, partly due to its rarity. National and regional campaigns are increasingly acknowledging the need to include men in awareness materials. For instance, the ‘Men Get Breast Cancer Too’ campaign, launched by Walk the Walk in 2017, aims to raise awareness and provide support for men affected by breast cancer.

While local organisations such as Yorkshire Cancer Research and Cancer Support Yorkshire have begun highlighting the issue, public visibility and funding remain low. Most public-facing campaigns still primarily target women, which can delay diagnosis among men who are unaware they may be at risk.

Researchers at the University of Leeds have called for broader inclusion of men in clinical trials, warning that treatments are often based on data from female breast cancer, which may not fully reflect biological differences.

Yorkshire’s position in the national picture

Male breast cancer remains uncommon, but local researchers say improved awareness could lead to earlier diagnoses and better outcomes. Yorkshire’s cancer research is contributing to national studies exploring hormonal and genetic factors linked to the disease.

While public health campaigns across the region this October continue to focus mainly on women, data suggests that broadening the message could make a measurable difference for men too.