title: Aromatase inhibitors with or without gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue in metastatic male breast cancer: a case series.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Data regarding the safety and effectiveness of aromatase inhibitors (AIs) as monotherapy or combined with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogue in male breast cancer are scarce.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective chart review, cases of male breast cancer patients treated with AIs with or without a GnRH analogue were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-three men were included into this case series. Aromatase inhibitors in combination with or without a GnRH analogue were given as first-line therapy in 60.9% and as second-line therapy in 39.1% of patients, respectively. All patients had visceral metastases, whereas in five of them bone lesions coexisted. In all cases AIs were tolerated well, and no case of grade 3 and 4 adverse events was reported. A partial response was observed in 26.1% of patients and stable disease in 56.5%. Median overall survival (OS) was 39 months and median progression-free survival (PFS) was 13 months. Regarding OS and PFS, no significant effects of GnRH analogue co-administration or type of AI were noted.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows that AIs with or without GnRH analogues may represent an effective and safe treatment option for hormone-receptor positive, pretreated, metastatic, male breast cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine I/Division of Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. florazagouri@yahoo.co.uk
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zagouri
authors.forename: T N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Sergentanis
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Koutoulidis
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sparber
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Steger
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dubsky
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Zografos
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Psaltopoulou
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gnant
authors.forename: M-A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Dimopoulos
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bartsch
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018567:Breast Neoplasms, Male / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D017273:Goserelin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D018931:Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; D047072:Aromatase Inhibitors; D017273:Goserelin; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone