Many changes occur in your breasts during your lifetime. It's important to understand which changes are normal and which are not. The first step is to learn about the structure of your breasts and how they function. Although breast cancer is more common in women, it also occurs in men.
Getting regular screening tests is the best way for women to lower their risk of dying from breast cancer. Screening tests can find breast cancer early, when it's most treatable. In rare cases, breast cancer can occur in men. Because men have much less breast tissue compared to women, the screening tools discussed in this chapter are not routinely used for men. Learn more about male breast cancer.