Breast cancer more deadly in men than women, although much less common, study shows

Around 8 in 10 women with breast cancer are still alive 5 years after diagnosis, but only 7 in 10 male patients, study of German data shows

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Male breast cancer accounts for less than 1 per cent of all breast cancer diagnoses. It can develop in men at any age, but usually happens between the ages of 60 and 70.
Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 6:15pm, 8 Feb 2025

Men are less likely to develop breast cancer than women, but are more likely to die from the disease, according to an analysis.

About 80.4 per cent of women and 69.6 per cent of men are still alive five years after diagnosis, says the Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety (LGL) in Germany, based on cancer registry data.

Male breast cancer accounts for less than 1 per cent of all breast cancer diagnoses, according to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation based in New York. It can occur in men at any age, but is more common in older men, between the ages of 60 and 70.

In Germany, 70,550 women and 740 men were newly diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020, says the country’s Robert Koch Institute. In Hong Kong in 2021, there were 5,565 new cases of breast cancer in women, and 27 new cases of breast cancer in men, according to the Centre for Health Protection.

Women have a 13.2 per cent chance of developing breast cancer during their lifetime. For men, the rate is 0.1 per cent – but it can be more deadly for them. Photo: Shutterstock

Women have a 13.2 per cent chance of developing breast cancer during their lifetime, while for men, the rate is 0.1 per cent.

The LGL analysis found the tumour stage was more advanced in men at the time of diagnosis, that they tended to be older than women and that they were treated less frequently.