Male breast cancer: A North African Center for cancer treatment’s experience, and systematic review of literature

Abstract

Background: Male breast cancer is a rare disease that accounts for less than 1% of all male
cancers and 1% of all incident breast cancers.
Materials and methods: We conducted a descriptive, observational, retrospective study of
92 cases of male breast cancer treated at our center between 2000 and 2020.
Data were collected on the basis of a standardized data sheet after literature analysis.

Objectives: Our research focused on the clinicopathological features, treatments, and
prognostic factors in a Moroccan cohort of 92 men with breast cancer, and compared these
results with those found in the literature.

Interventions: The data collection lasted for 3 months, from January 2021 to March 2021.
For patients treated before 2014, we had to retrieve their paper files from the archives of our
center to collect the necessary information.
We were able to select more recent files using the ENOVA file computerization system. To
find the files of interest, we selected the breast as the main organ, then limited ourselves to the
files of male patients, and finally, we limited the period of file research from January 2014 to
January 2020.

Results:
Epidemiological data: The median age was 71.3 years, and the primary reason for initial
consultation was periareolar nodule self-examination. Patients consulted 12.1 months after the
first clinical signs. Infiltrating ductal carcinoma (88.3%) was the most common histological
type of carcinoma. The most common immunohistochemical profile (55.5%) was Luminal B.
Treatment: The treatment plan included radical mastectomy with axillary lymph node
dissection, followed by adjuvant radiotherapy with or without adjuvant chemotherapy.
Tamoxifen has been suggested to be effective for all patients with hormone receptors.
Follow-up: The evolution was marked by complete remission (62%), local relapse (7%),
progressive disease (7%), metastatic relapse (14%), and death (10%) over a median followup
period of 42 months (8-156 months).

Conclusion: Although breast cancer in men is very similar to breast cancer in women, it has
distinct characteristics. Future prospective studies on a global scale are required to improve
the management and prognosis of such patients.