CARCINOMA OF THE MALE BREAST - A SEXUALLY-TRANSMITTED DISEASE

Male breast cancer is a rare disease. In an African population, the oc currence of this cancer is high. The male/female ratio in Tanzania is 1:14 (0.071). This narrow ratio does not differ significantly in the m ajority of sub-Saharan African countries. The overall ratio being 0.01 43 (CI=0.0317-0.877). When this was compared with the ratio of the Afr ican American population with breast cancer in USA, it was observed to be significantly high (p< 0.05). The narrow male/female ratio amongst indigenous people with breast cancer in sub-Saharan countries was see n only in those geographical areas where cervical malignancy ranked in the leading position. There is a clear association, with a pronounced linear correlation between these two cancers (r = 0.8). In view of th is association it is hypothesised that since cervical cancer behaves a s a sexually transmitted disease, then possibly this could also be the case in respect to the male breast carcinoma in sub-Saharan Africa. I f these results are confirmed by other investigators, an opportunity t o examine the factors contributing to the oncogenesis of this disease may be invaluable in developing prevention and treatment strategies.