Men get breast cancer too, so be sure to self-check

Professor Mark Corrigan, Cork University Hospital, advises men that catching breast cancer early could save their life. He talks to Helen O'Callaghan

Men are advised to self-check for cancer. While breast cancer is rare in men, it does happen. About 37 men are diagnosed with the disease each year in Ireland. This compares to approximately 3,600 women.

Men are often more willing to talk about finding a lump in their testicles than they are about revealing they’ve found a breast lump. So says Professor Mark Corrigan, who works in surgical oncology (specifically the breast) at the Department of Surgery in CUH.

There’s a still-prevailing myth that only women get breast cancer but, while it’s rare in men, it does happen. About 37 men are diagnosed with the disease each year in Ireland. This compares to approximately 3,600 women.