A comparison outcome of male breast cancer with female breast cancer

Background It is unclear whether breast cancer has a similar prognosis in males and females. Methods A 20-year retrospective study of all male breast cancer patients in our region was undertaken. We compared this series with a group of females matched for the major prognostic factors and an unmatched series of female patients treated over the same period. Results Forty-one patients with invasive cancer and 2 with ductal carcinoma in situ were identified. One invasive cancer was treated with radiotherapy, 40 had surgery. Local recurrence occurred in 23% and axillary recurrence in 40% of cases. Male and female patients (n = 123) matched for the major prognostic factors showed a similar outcome for disease-free interval (P = 0.90) and survival (P = 0.27). However, both the above groups had a significantly worse outcome than the unmatched series of female patients with breast cancer. Conclusions When prognostic factors are allowed for, male and female breast cancer patients have a similar outcome. This suggests that such features should be taken into account when determining management for males with breast cancer just as they are in females.