Male Breast cancer
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Date
2011-02-11
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Thai Cancer Journal
Abstract
Male breast cancer is an uncommon disease. A painless lump in the breast is the most common presentation. Over 40% of male breast cancers present late, with stage III or IV, i.e., advanced, disease. Most male breast cancers tend to be diagnosed at an older age than female breast cancers. The main etiologies included hormonal imbalance, genetic factors, occupation, and prior radiation exposure. Surgery with mastectomy and axillary clearance or sentinel node biopsy is the mainstay of treatment. Less radical procedures than mastectomy, such as wide excision or lumpectomy, represent alternatives but have normally been reported as suboptimal approaches with greater risk of relapse. For histologic subtypes, both invasive and in-situ forms of ductal carcinoma have commonly been diagnosed. Over 90% of these tumors are hormonal-receptor-positive; therefore, hormonal inhibition with tamoxifen is the standard adjuvant therapy. Some individuals would also benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy. The indications for radiotherapy and chemotherapy for males are similar to females with breast cancer. For metastatic disease, hormonal therapy is the main treatment, but chemotherapy can also provide palliation. Little is known about this specific disease; however, more knowledge is being gained and an improved understanding of male breast cancer is increasingly required, to improve clinical knowledge and support further treatment. (Thai Cancer J 30;4:160-169)
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Thai Cancer Journal; Vol.30 No.4 October-December 2010; 160-169