[Male breast cancer: a review of 52 cases collected at the Institute Bergonié (Bordeaux, France) from 1980 to 2004].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the characteristics and to establish prognosis factors for 52 men suffering from breast cancer from 1980 to 2004.


METHODS
Men treated for breast cancer (invasive or in situ). A retrospective study analyzed clinical and histological characteristics, and treatment procedures. The probability of survival or recurrence was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Prognostic factors were studied using the Log Rank test.


RESULTS
The mean age of our patients was 63.5 years old. In 73.1% of cases, subaerolar tumors were the initial symptoms, the average size was 30.31 mm. Among patients, 17 (32.7%) had T1, 19 (36.5%) T2, two (3.8%) T3 and 14 (26.9%) T4. The most represented histological type was the infiltrative ductal carcinoma (84.6%). The spread rate to axillary lymph nodes was 63.6%. The hormone dependency of these tumors was proven in 84.6% of cases. Overall survival rate were about 69% at five years and 32% at 10 years. The spread to lymph node and to derm, the clinical stage were significant factors influencing disease free survival. None of these factors had any significance regarding overall survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Male breast cancer is a rare disease (about 1% of breast cancer) with a poor prognosis (32% 10 years disease free survival). An early diagnosis and better knowledge of the disease would certainly lead to improvement of prognosis.
Tunon de Lara
C
C
Service de chirurgie, institut Bergonié, centre régional de lutte contre le cancer (CRLCC), 229, cours de l'Argonne, 33076 Bordeaux cedex, France. tunon@bergonie.org
Goudy
G
G
Macgrogan
G
G
Durand
M
M
Dilhuydy
J-M
JM
Avril
A
A
Stoeckle
E
E
Bussières
J-E
JE
Debled
M
M
de Mascarel
I
I
Mauriac
L
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; D018567:Breast Neoplasms, Male / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008408:Mastectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome