title: How to treat male breast cancer.
abstract: The prevalence for breast cancer in males in Europe is estimated to be 1 or less per 100,000. Male breast cancer has a peak incidence at the age of 71 years. There are no randomized data giving information on the optimal therapy for male breast cancer patients, thereby limiting firmer conclusions. The preferred primary surgical therapy is modified radical/simple mastectomy, but breast-conserving surgery has also been used in males. Post-operative radiotherapy should be used on a more routine basis; as males have shorter breast-anatomical distances and males are diagnosed at a later stage compared with females. The so far preferred adjuvant therapy modality has been tamoxifen for patients with endocrine responsive disease. The use of aromatase inhibitors in males is more controversial, since they may not deplete the estradiol levels sufficiently. Different chemotherapy regimens have been used in the adjuvant and metastatic setting. The use of adjuvant therapy has in institutional and review comparisons been demonstrated to result in an improved outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics (MEB), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Kamila
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Czene
authors.forename: Czene
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kamila
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bergqvist
authors.forename: Bergqvist
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jenny
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Hall
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Per
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bergh
authors.forename: Bergh
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jonas
mesh_terms: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018567:Breast Neoplasms, Male / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008408:Mastectomy; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D013629:Tamoxifen