Breast cancer in males: a PGIMER experience.
OBJECTIVE
Male breast cancer is a rare disease representing 1% of all breast cancers and less than 1% of all cancers in men. Because of its rarity, carcinoma breast has not been studied extensively and this prompted us to carry out this retrospective study. The aim of the study was to observe the clinical and pathological features, evaluate the prognostic factors and to co-relate the outcome in patients of male breast cancer.


METHODS
Thirty patients of male breast cancer treated in the department of radiotherapy from year 1996-2000 were retrospectively analyzed.


RESULTS
The actuarial five- year disease free survival was 40%. Three out of 30 i.e. 10% patients had loco-regional recurrence and all of them had locally advanced disease at presentation. Distant metastasis occurred in 9 patients of whom 6 patients had T3-T4 tumor and 1 patient had T1-T2 tumor.


CONCLUSIONS
Modified radical mastectomy followed by external radiation therapy is the standard treatment for male breast cancer. Hormone therapy, as an adjuvant treatment, is the first line approach in a majority of patients and chemotherapy is reserved for patients with poor prognostic factors.
Rai
Bhavana
B
Department of Radiotherapy, Post Grade Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
Ghoshal
Sushmita
S
Sharma
Suresh C
SC
D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018567:Breast Neoplasms, Male / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011379:Prognosis; D011878:Radiotherapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents