title: Male breast cancer--an andrological disease: risk factors and diagnosis.
abstract: Gynaecomastia, the enlargement of the male breast, is considered as an andrological disease. To date, a review on male breast cancer (MBC) has not been published in an andrological journal. The papers underlying this review were published from authors of different institutions: Clinical Genetics, Dermatology, Gynaecology, Internal Medicine, Oncology, Pathology, Psychiatry, Radiology and Surgery. MBC accounts for approximately 1% of breast cancer patients. A total of 182 men died of breast cancer in 1999, in Germany. In the US, 1500 new cases per year occur. MBC accounts for <5% of surgically removed breast lumps. Diseases with increased oestrogen action increase the risk of MBC. Mutations of distinct genes are estimated to account for up to roughly 10% of MBC. BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations are responsible for approximately 80% of the families with hereditary breast cancer. The diagnosis of MBC is not possible without histological examination. Different diagnostic procedures such as clinical diagnosis, sonography, mammography, fine-needle biopsy and core needle facilitate the decision whether a biopsy is necessary.
authors.affiliation: Department of Andrology, University Hospital, Philipp University, Marburg, Germany. krause@mailer.uni-marburg.de
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Krause
mesh_terms: D018567:Breast Neoplasms, Male / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors