Male Breast Cancer in India: Cost, Procedure & Recovery for International Patients

Get affordable male breast cancer treatment in India. Learn about procedure, cost & recovery. GetWellGo guides international patients every step.

Male Breast Cancer in India: Cost, Procedure & Recovery for International Patients

  • Category

    Cancer

  • Published By

    GetWellGo Team

  • Updated on

    06-Aug-2025

Male breast cancer in India

In India, breast cancer in males is quite uncommon, although it is currently gaining more awareness and is being effectively treated because of the innovations in additional diagnostics and oncology services. Here is what happened:

Male Breast Cancer in India -Overview

Incidence: Represents less than 1 percent of the total number of breast cancer diseases in India although its awareness is increasing.

Age Group: Commonly afflicts men ages 50-70 but younger males are diagnosed with it as well.

Risk Factors:

  • Family history of breasts cancer (in particular BRCA2 mutation)
  • Estrogen excess hormonal disturbances (low androgens)
  • Obesity
  • Liver disease
  • Radiation exposure
  • Klinefelter syndrome

Best hospital for male breast cancer in India

Male breast cancer treatment in India

Overview

  • The treatment of male breast cancer is carried out in the same way as in the female version; however, surgery and hormone therapy are usually modified to male anatomy.
  • Oncology hospitals in India have followed international standards of treatment procedures including NCCN guidelines and ESMO guidelines.

Control Treatment Plan

  • Treatment varies with regard to stage, tumor biology (ER/PR/HER2) status, spread, and the health of the patient, in general.

Surgery- most disorders are treated on first-line basis

  • Modified Radical Mastectomy (MRM): The complete removal of the breast tissue + the lymph nodes of the armpit.
  • Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy (SLNB): Minimally-invasive procedure of lymph node inspection to prevent unwarranted whole-node removal.
  • Reconstructive Surgery: It can be done but rare in male breast cancer.

Radiation Therapy

Normally administered at or post-surgery, particularly when:

  • Tumor >5 cm
  • Lymph nodes positive
  • Margins unclear
  • Time: 3-6 wks.

Chemotherapy

  • Administered due to high grade tumors, lymph node involvement or metastatic disease.
  • Common drugs: Paclitaxel, Doxorubicin, Cyclophosphamide, Docetaxel.
  • With 3 weeks between 4-8 cycles.

Hormonal Therapy

  • Tamoxifen is the norm (the majority of male breast cancer estrogen receptor positive).
  • In some circumstances aromatase inhibitors (Anastrozole, Letrozole).
  • Taken post-operatively in a 5-10 years regime.

Targeted Therapy

In case of HER2-positive cancers:

  • Trastuzumab (Herceptin) +- Pertuzumab
  • Very effective at a high cost.

Immunotherapy

  • In advanced/metastatic cancers where there is specific biomarker (e.g., PD-L1 positive).
  • Such drugs as Pembrolizumab can be employed.

Top oncologists for male breast cancer in India

Symptoms of male breast cancer

These are the typical symptoms of breast cancer in males, though everyone should remember that it tends to silently evolve and be noticed when it is already quite late mostly due to the lack of screening in men.

Generalized Symptoms

  • Bump or protrusion of the breast
  • Usually painless
  • Stiff and hard and tend to be behind or next to the nipple

Nipple Changes

  • Inversion of the nipple (turning in)
  • Scaling or redness of the skin of the nipple
  • Sores or ulcer on the nipple

Nipple Discharge

  • Green, Yellow, bloody, and clear discharge
  • It may be spontaneous or it may occur on pressure

Breast Skin Change

  • Becoming dimpled (skin resembles orange peel)
  • Scaling, thickening or redness
  • Skin ulceration (severe stages)

Underarm Changes

  • The armpit (swelling or lump in the armpit, which is also the enlarged lymph nodes)
  • Pain in the axillary.

Less common / advanced stage symptoms

  • Breast or chest pain
  • Arm swelling (because of blockage of lymphatic system)
  • Loss of weight, pain in our bones or shortness of breath (in case of spread of cancer).

Male breast cancer surgery in India

This is a comprehensive description of conducting male breast cancer surgery in India, its types, and procedure.

The purpose of Surgery

  • In men, first line treatment is typically surgery due to the smaller breast tissue and location of lumps on the breast that are often near the nipple.

It aims at:

  • Cut the cancer tissue off
  • Determine whether there is spread of cancer to lymph nodes
  • Retain as much good tissue as could be spared

Breast Cancer Surgery in Men 

There are four types of breast cancer surgery in men: 

Modified radical mastectomy (MRM)

  • Majority of surgery in men

Removes:

  • Full breast and nipple & areola tissue
  • Some skin
  • The lymph nodes of the axilla regionTpnothy
  • Sparing of chest muscles Leaves chest muscles untouched

Simple (Total) Mastectomy

  • Removal of total breast tissue and no lymph nodes
  • It was applied in some very early-stage tumors without involvement of lymph nodes

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy (SLNB)

  • Primary drainage of the breast to the lymph node/nodes 
  • Checks the first draining node 
  • Skips the total removal lymph nodes in case of no cancer cells found

Axillary Lymph Node Resections

  • Takes out some of the lymphatic nodes under the arm in case the cancer has been found in them

Breast Reconstruction

  • Infrequent on male clients however, it may happen because of cosmetic reasons following mastectomy

Surgery Process in India

  • Pre-operative Workup: Blood diagnostic tests, Electrocardiography, X-ray of the chest, ultrasound/ mammogram, confirm biopsy
  • Anaesthesia: normally general anaesthesia
  • Procedure :1.5 to 3 hours
  • Hospital Stay : 2-5 days
  • Recovery-: majority of the patients are able to go back to normal activity within 2-3weeks.

Male breast cancer diagnosis in India

Here's a step-by-step analysis of male breast cancer diagnosis in India, steps, tests, price, and best diagnostic hospitals.

Purpose of Diagnosis

  • Ascertain if a breast lump or symptom is cancer
  • Determine the cancer type (ductal, lobular, etc.) and stage
  • Determine hormone receptor and HER2 status to aid in treatment
  • Identify any spread to lymph nodes or distant organs

Diagnostic Steps in India:

Medical History & Physical Examination

Physician examines:

  • Size, location, texture of the lump
  • Nipple changes (inversion, discharge)
  • Skin changes
  • Lymph node swelling in the armpit or collarbone area

Imaging Tests

Mammography

  • Although uncommon in men, will see tumors and calcifications

Breast Ultrasound

  • Excludes cysts (fluid-filled) and solid masses

MRI (in certain situations)

  • For clear imaging or when mammogram/ultrasound is uncertain

Biopsy (Gold Standard for Diagnosis)

  • Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology (FNAC): Rapid, little pain
  • Core Needle Biopsy: Tissues a small sample for close examination
  • Excisional Biopsy: Removes whole lump if small

Laboratory Tests on Tumor Sample

  • Histopathology: Assures cancer type
  • Immunohistochemistry (IHC): Assesses ER, PR, HER2 status
  • Ki-67 Index: Quantitates tumor growth rate

Male breast cancer treatment in India GetWellGo

This is organized format of Treatment of breast cancer in males in India- GetWellGo that may be utilized as a patient friendly content in medical tourism.

Male Breast Cancer Treatment in India – GetWellGo

Male breast cancer is not common but it is still treatable and oncology care in India is of world class level with very low prices as compared to foreign countries. GetWellGo links you to the best cancer hospitals, skilled oncologists, and individualized care plans to achieve good results.

Overview:

  • Incidence:  <1% of all breast cancers occur in men in India.
  • Average age range: 50 70 years (and earlier).
  • Treatment Success: Good survival rate and multidisciplinary approach in the case of early detection.

Indian Treatment options:

GetWellGo collaborates with major hospitals which undertake treatment in line with international standards in the treatment of male breast cancer.

Surgery

  • Most common is the Modified Radical Mastectomy
  • Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

Radiation Therapy

  • Attacks remaining cancer cells post-surgery

Chemotherapy

  • Applied in bigger tumors, the propagation of lymph nodes, or more fierce cancers

Hormonal Therapy

  • Hormone receptor-positive cancers: Tamoxifen/ aromatase inhibitors

Targeted Therapy

  • Trastuzumab (Herceptin) in cancer of HER2-positive cancer

Why Choose GetWellGo for Male Breast Cancer Treatment?

GetWellGo is regarded as a leading supplier of healthcare services. We help our foreign clients choose the best treatment locations that suit their needs both financially and medically.

We offer:

  • Complete transparency
  • Fair costs.
  • 24 hour availability.
  • Medical E-visas
  • Online consultation from recognized Indian experts.
  • Assistance in selecting India's top hospitals for male breast cancer treatment.
  • Expert oncologists with a strong track record of success
  • Assistance during and after the course of treatment.
  • Language Support
  • Travel and Accommodation Services
  • Case manager assigned to every patient to provide seamless support in and out of the hospital like appointment booking
  • Local SIM Cards
  • Currency Exchange
  • Arranging Patient’s local food

 

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