title: Clinicopathological characteristics of male breast cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate clinicopathological characteristics and outcomes of male breast cancer (MBC).
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively analyzed the data of 20 MBC patients in comparison with female ductal carcinoma treated at Yonsei University Severance Hospital from July 1985 to May 2007. Clinicopathological features, treatment patterns, and survival were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MBC consists of 0.38% of all breast cancers. The median age was 56 years. The median symptom duration was 10 months. The median tumor size was 1.7 cm, 27.8% showed node metastasis, and 71.4% were estrogen receptor positive. All 20 cancers were arisen from ductal cells. No lobular carcinoma was found. The incidence of stages 0, I, II, and III in patients were 2, 10, 4, and 3, respectively. All patients underwent mastectomy. One with invasive cancer did not receive axillary node dissection and stage was not exactly evaluated. Adjuvant treatments were determined by pathologic parameters and stage. Clinicopathological parameters and survival rates of MBC were comparable to those of female ductal carcinoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The onset age of MBC was 10 years older and symptom duration was longer than in female patients. No difference in outcomes between MBC and female ductal carcinoma suggests that the biology of MBC is not different from that of females. Therefore, education, an appropriate system for early detection, and adequate treatment are necessary for improving outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 250 Seongsanno, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-752, Korea.
authors.forename: Seho
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Joo-Hee
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jaseung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.forename: Byeong-Woo
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kyong Sik
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D018567:Breast Neoplasms, Male / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D055815:Young Adult