title: Breast cancer in men: should aromatase inhibitors become first-line hormonal treatment?
abstract: Breast cancer is an uncommon malignancy in men; therefore, the approach to treatment is mostly modeled on that used in females. First-line use of aromatase inhibitors (AIs) is now standard practice in hormone-sensitive metastatic breast cancer in postmenopausal females. However, tamoxifen continues to be regarded as first-line treatment in hormone-sensitive male breast cancer. This article reviews the role of second and third generation AIs as first- or second-line hormonal treatment in male patients with metastatic breast cancer. It also explores the potential use of AIs in combination with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs or trastuzumab suggesting that in the future this may prove a useful alternative to tamoxifen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, St Vincent's Hospital, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Ina C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Nordman
authors.forename: David N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Dalley
mesh_terms: D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000077384:Anastrozole; D001141:Aromatase / Q000378:metabolism; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001940:Breast / Q000201:enzymology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D018567:Breast Neoplasms, Male / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D004967:Estrogens / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077289:Letrozole; D008297:Male; D009570:Nitriles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009919:Orchiectomy; D017698:Postmenopause; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013737:Testis / Q000502:physiology; D014230:Triazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D004967:Estrogens; D009570:Nitriles; D014230:Triazoles; D000077384:Anastrozole; D000077289:Letrozole; D001141:Aromatase