title: Efficacy of chemotherapy in metastatic male breast cancer patients: a retrospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of chemotherapy in the treatment of metastatic male breast cancer patients remains unknown, and the only available evidence stem from small, retrospective series evaluating outdated drugs and/or regimens.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective study we evaluated the activity of polychemotherapy, consisting of three-drug (anthracycline-containing and anthracycline-free) regimens, as a first-line therapy for metastatic male breast cancer patients who had received at least one prior endocrine therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty patients treated between 1978 and 2013 were included in the present analysis. Regarding best response, we recorded 1 (2%) complete response and 27 (54%) partial responses, for an overall response rate of 56% (95% CI, 42.2-69.8). Considering stable disease, the disease control rate was 84%. Median progression-free survival was 7.2 months (95% CI, 5.9-8.5), and median overall survival was 14.2 months (95% CI, 12.2-16.2). Albeit we observed some differences for all the outcomes explored when comparing anthracycline-containing and anthracycline-free regimens, they were not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chemotherapy, consisting in both anthracycline-containing and anthracycline-free regimens, showed encouraging antitumor activity in metastatic male breast cancer patients previously treated with endocrine therapy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology B, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy. dilauro@ifo.it.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Di Lauro
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology B, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy. pizzuti8@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pizzuti
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology B, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy. maddalena.barba@gmail.com.|Scientific Direction, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy. maddalena.barba@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Maddalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barba
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology B, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy. sergidome@libero.it.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sergi
authors.affiliation: Biostatistics Unit, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy. sperduti@ifo.it.
authors.forename: Isabella
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sperduti
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy. mottolese@ifo.it.
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mottolese
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Reggio Calabria General Hospital, Reggio Calabria, Italy. pietro.delmedico@libero.it.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Del Medico
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncology, Spolverini Hospital, Ariccia, Italy. francabelli@alice.it.
authors.forename: Franca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Belli
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology B, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy. pvici@ifo.it.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vici
authors.affiliation: Scientific Direction, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy. demaria@ifo.it.
authors.forename: Ruggero
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Maria
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology B, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy. maugeri@ifo.it.|Scientific Direction, "Regina Elena" National Cancer Institute, Via Elio Chianesi 53, 00144, Rome, Italy. maugeri@ifo.it.
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maugeri-Saccà
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018567:Breast Neoplasms, Male / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor