title: [The combined diagnosis of male breast lesions: a review of a series of 748 consecutive cases].
abstract: The authors reviewed a series of 748 consecutive male patients referred for breast screening; their average age was 50.5 years. A malignant lesion was detected in 20 patients (18 infiltrating ductal carcinomas, 1 intraductal carcinoma and 1 myxosarcoma). Of 18 infiltrating carcinomas, 17 were found in patients over 60 years of age; pT classes were pT1c in 13 patients, pT2 in 2, pT4b in 1, pT4d in 1 and pTx in one patient. Biopsy demonstrated 92 benign lesions (74 gynecomastia cases and 18 other lesions), whereas 636 lesions were considered benign at direct or cancer registry follow-up. Sensitivity was 85% for palpation, 88.8% for mammography, 93.7% for cytology and 100% for US. Specificity was 95.3%, 94%, 95.6% and 97.9%, respectively. Combined palpation and mammography had 100% sensitivity. Sixty-five of 92 benign lesions were submitted to biopsy, even in the absence of suspicion, for psychological/cosmetic reasons. Negative cytology spared unnecessary biopsy in 9 cases, which were fairly suspicious at other exams. To conclude, we confirm the role of this multimodality clinical-instrumental diagnostic approach, with a special emphasis on the role of US. Cytology was as useful to avoid unnecessary open biopsy in men as it is in women. Male breast cancer has the same semiology as female breast cancer, though with a prevalence of opacities with blurred outline and in the absence of scirrhous-stellate patterns. The diagnostic protocol we used to diagnose breast cancer in women seems to be fully indicated also in men.
authors.affiliation: Centro per lo Studio e la Prevenzione Oncologica, Firenze.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ambrogetti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ciatto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Catarzi
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Muraca
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology; D018567:Breast Neoplasms, Male / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002648:Child; D003581:Cytodiagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary
vernacular_title: Diagnostica combinata delle lesioni mammarie maschili: revisione di una serie di 748 casi consecutivi.