Abstract
To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes of breast cancer in the male population, 8,607 cases of patients were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, including white males (n = 7122), black males (n = 1111), and other males (American Indian/AK Native, Asian/Pacific Islander) (n = 374). Black male breast cancer patients were more likely to be in stages II–IV and have more advanced tumors. The rate of lymph node (LN) involvement at diagnosis was higher in black men than in whites and others. The ER- and PR-positive rates were lower in black men than in whites and others. The distant metastasis rate was higher in blacks than in whites and others. Furthermore, the overall survival (OR) rates and breast cancer-specific survival rates were significantly poorer in blacks than in whites and others (χ2 = 29.974, P < 0.001; χ2 = 7.285, P = 0.026, respectively). In a multivariate analysis, the results showed that race could also be a prognostic indicator (P < 0.001). Moreover, significant differences were also observed in OS among 1:1:1 matched white, black, and other groups (P < 0.001). Differences in outcomes may be partially explained by differences in tumor grades, LN status, and ER and PR status between the 3 groups. This study might provide insights into a better understanding of male breast cancer.
Highlights
Male breast carcinoma (MBC) is a rare disease with steady incidence rates; it comprises about 1% of all cancers in men in Western countries [1,2]
The relatively lower incidence of MBC than that of female breast cancer (FBC) has not aroused the same attention for improving research and prevention
The management and treatment of MBC is based on guidelines developed for women [14]
Summary
Male breast carcinoma (MBC) is a rare disease with steady incidence rates; it comprises about 1% of all cancers in men in Western countries [1,2]. The present study showed that the mean age of MBC patients was about 60–65 years old. This disease may develop in a wide range of ages. MBC patients are diagnosed with a more severe clinical manifestation with relatively larger tumor sizes and more frequent lymph node involvement www.impactjournals.com/oncotarget than female breast cancer (FBC) patients [5]. Male breast cancer develops with a much higher proportion of positive tumor hormone receptors, a significantly prolonged treatment delay, and a more advanced tumor, node, and metastasis (TNM) stage of the disease at the time of diagnosis than FBC [6]. The treatment of MBC is currently based on FBC due to the inadequate characterization [7,8]
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