A review of the management of the male breast carcinoma based on an analysis of 420 treated cases

Between 1941 and 1991, a total of 420 cases, diagnosed as having male breast carcinoma (MBC), were registered at The Christie Hospital, Manchester, UK. The presentation and results of treatment, together with a review of the world literature, form the basis of suggestions for the management of MBC. Primary treatment most commonly involves a simple mastectomy followed by radiotherapy. Between 80% and 100% of tumours are hormone-receptor positive. Tamoxifen is recommended as the drug of choice for advanced/recurrent disease. Chemotherapy, using the CMF regimen produced a 36% complete or partial response in 22 treated patients. Early results in 39 node-positive patients given adjuvant tamoxifen following primary treatment, suggest significant improvement in actuarial and disease-free survival compared to ‘historical’ controls.