Male Breast Cancer

Radiation therapy should be strongly considered in patients with metastases to the axillary nodes, but the role of adjuvant hormonal therapy or chemotherapy is unclear and tamoxifen seems to be replacing orchiectomy for treatment of disseminated disease.

Abstract

Male breast cancer is uncommon but important. The diagnosis is easily made by breast biopsy, and patients are presenting earlier in the course of the disease than in the past. Despite this, patients are often first seen with tumors that have metastasized to the axillary nodes, which markedly decreases the survival rate. Therapy of localized disease includes simple excision, modified radical mastectomy, and radical mastectomy, but there is no consensus for which operation is appropriate. Radiation therapy should be strongly considered in patients with metastases to the axillary nodes, but the role of adjuvant hormonal therapy or chemotherapy is unclear. For treatment of disseminated disease, tamoxifen seems to be replacing orchiectomy. The favorable response rate, especially in patients with estrogen-receptor-positive tumors, the lack of side effects, and the high level of patient acceptability make it an attractive therapeutic choice.