Jane Elliott BBC News Online health staff

Brian knew the symptoms of breast cancer

Unlike many men when Brian Jones got the first symptoms of breast cancer he knew the signs.

Almost a year before his wife Hazel had also had the disease.

He knew that men could be affected by breast cancer and was quick to seek help.

Each year up to 300 men are diagnosed with breast cancer, but many men and even their doctors ignore the symptoms, believing they cannot be at risk from a "women's disease."

Brian, 68, from Macclesfield, first noticed a lump at the back of his left nipple, a biopsy confirmed it was breast cancer and he had a mastectomy.

Checks

Almost five years on and after a course of radiotherapy Brian is resuming his old life, but he said he still checks his breasts regularly for lumps.

"I play golf and badminton again and there have been no effects.

"But I do still check myself out from time to time.

I thought it was confined to females Brian Jones

"I hadn't really thought of doing that before Hazel got breast cancer, but I visited the hospital with her and we were quite well tuned into breast cancer."

But Brian said many people, including himself, had initially been unaware that men as well as women were at risk from breast cancer.

"I did worry about myself having breast cancer because I thought it was confined to females.

"I do not go out of my way to tell people that I have had breast cancer. I think the guys look at me a bit strange when I say I have had it and so do some of the women."

Although Brian is currently clear of cancer his wife is still undergoing treatment after developing secondary cancers nearly five years after her initial diagnosis.

Rare

Pamela Goldberg, chief executive of Breast Cancer Campaign, explained that men like Brian can feel let down by the NHS which is mainly geared up to deal with women's breast cancer.

"Because breast cancer is a rare disease in men the tragedy is that when it does happen, men are unlikely to recognise it and often neither do their doctors.

"At the moment all the literature and information available is concerned with issues that affect women, such as the psychological impact, possibly losing a breast, how do you find a prosthesis and where do you find a bra to fit, etc. These are not issues that men face.

"We have anecdotal information from men that they feel embarrassed and alone, what we want to do is turn the anecdotal into evidence that will help the three hundred men a year who are affected by breast cancer."

Breast Cancer Campaign has put �49,299 into examining how men diagnosed with breast cancer cope with the disease.

Over the two-year study researchers will look at the needs and concerns of male patients and how they are being met.

Dr Jonathon Gray, Institute of Medical Genetics University of Wales College of Medicine, who is carrying out the study explained that men had too little information.

"Male breast cancer is a comparatively unknown condition.

"There is hardly any information of its effect in men. Our study looks at experiences of men with breast cancer, from diagnosis through to treatment.

"Our findings and recommendations will help us get a better understanding of the issues that are important and the information and support services that these men need."