MALE BREAST-CANCER - REPORT OF A SERIES OF 50 CASES

Fifty consecutive cases of male breast cancer (MBC) treated in a singl e institution were studied. Presentation of the disease, histology, pa ttern of relapse, and major prognostic factors were similar to those k nown in female breast cancer (FBC). Five-year disease-free interval an d survival were 59% and 75% respectively. Endocrine therapy for treatm ent of metastatic MBC was proven to be effective with a response rate of about 50% of patients, unselected with regard to oestrogen receptor s. A group of patients receiving adjuvant treatment showed lower recur rence rate and a trend toward better outcome than similar stage patien ts without adjuvant treatment. The present study combined with the rec ent literature suggests that MBC and FBC are biologically comparable a nd that inference from experience in treatment of FBC may be justified .