An unusual case of advanced bilateral male breast cancer

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer in men is a rare malignancy. The majority institutions involved in treatment of male patients with breast cancer do not have a wide experience as it is mostly based on single cases rather than clinical studies. Case report: We report an unusual case of a 46 years old male patient presenting with a 6 years history of breast cancer. The patient was diagnosed with cancer of the left breast and surgically treated with modified radical mastectomy with no axillary dissection in the district general hospital. The reason for not doing axillary dissection is unknown. Adjuvant therapy consisted of 4 x EC, radiotherapy and tamoxifen. 2 years later there was a local recurrence in the area surrounding mastectomy scar and skin metastases on the chest wall as the most dominant clinical sign. The patient underwent axillary dissection and rotating plastics and continued to be treated with chemo-and endocrine therapy. Later local recurrences and progression of skin metastases were treated with various systemic and local chemotherapies, and intraarterial administration of chemotherapy. 5 years later the patient was also diagnosed with inflammatory cancer in the right breast. Further progression of disease affected the chest walls along with consequent limitations of the movements of the neck and the left arm. Two months prior to death liver metastases were detected. Conclusion: In case of male breast cancer surgical treatment including axillary dissection and adjuvant therapy are necessary as it is equally required in treatment of female patients with breast cancer