Male cancer: a qualitative study of male breast cancer

Breast cancer is a rare condition in males. There is a dearth of informatio n about the psychological and social impact of this condition. Data from si x in-depth interviews with men who had breast cancer identified seven major issues. These were associated with delay in diagnosis, shock, stigma, body image, causal factors, the provision of information and emotional support. The findings from this small study suggest that there are psychological an d social factors for men diagnosed with breast cancer which have implicatio ns for their care and management. The recommendations arising from this stu dy are the development of a structured education programme aimed at all pri mary health-care professionals; with availability of pre and postoperative gender-specific information to alleviate the potential psychological proble ms associated with the diagnosis; and provision of appropriate support/coun selling services for partners of patients. (C) 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd .