COMBINED TREATMENT WITH BUSERELIN AND CYPROTERONE-ACETATE IN METASTATIC MALE BREAST-CANCER

Background. Male breast cancer (MBC) is considered an androgen-depende nt tumor, and as in prostatic cancer, responses have been reported wit h use of antiandrogens or gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs. Thus , it is reasonable to postulate that better results could be achieved by combining these two agents. Methods. Eleven men with recurrent or p rogressive carcinoma of the breast have been treated with buserelin 15 00 mug subcutaneously daily in the first week and 600 mug daily subseq uently and cyproterone acetate (CPA) 100 mg twice a day orally startin g 24 hours before the first dose of buserelin. Results. Objective resp onses have been observed in seven patients with a median duration of 1 1.5 months (range, 9-24+ months). Responses were not correlated to the dominant site of disease. Three patients had stable disease lasting 5 months. Median survival was 18.5 months. Side effects primarily were decrease or loss of libido, impotence, and hot flushes. Conclusions. T otal androgen blockade with buserelin and CPA seems effective in the t reatment of patients with advanced cancer of the male breast, but its superiority over standard androgen suppression remains to be demonstra ted.