MALE BREAST-CANCER - CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL FEATURES, IMMUNOCYTOCHEMICALCHARACTERISTICS AND PROGNOSIS

A series of 30 cases of male breast cancer in the North-East of Scotla nd is reviewed, The aims of the study were to document clinico-patholo gical and immunocytochemical features (available for 25) of these pati ents and to establish which factors could predict prognosis, Tumours w ere studied for the expression of oestrogen receptors (ERs), the oestr ogen-dependent proteins pS2 and cathepsin D, the oncoprotein products of c-erb-B2 and the p53 tumour-suppressor-gene derived protein, Clinic o-pathological features documented were in agreement with those report ed by other authors, The overall 5-year survival was 53%, Tumour grade and lymph-node status influenced prognosis, In this series, 64% of th e tumours expressed ERs, 50% pS2, 46%, cathepsin D, 42% the c-erb-B2 t ransmembrane oncoprotein and 54% p53, In contrast to female breast can cer, the presence of either substantial amounts of ERs or the oestroge n-dependent protein pS2 correlated with poorer prognosis in males, Thi s correlation has not previously been documented.