Male breast cancer

Abstract

A 71-year-old male patient had been aware for 3 years of a slowly-growing nodule in his left breast that began to produce a discharge in the 3 months prior to his presentation. The discharge became progressively blood-stained. Nevertheless, he consulted a doctor only one week before admission. Physical examination revealed an ulcerated mass retracting the nipple (Fig. 1) and involving the entire glandular substance. Axillary lymph nodes were clinically enlarged. Mastectomy with axillary block dissection was performed. The tumour proved to be a ductal invasive carcinoma (Fig. 2) positive for oestrogen and progesterone receptor by radio-immunoassay determination. Twelve of eighteen lymph nodes examined contained tumour metastasis. The patient was given postoperative radiotherapy /50 Gy/ to the chest wall and regional lymph node areas and received adjuvant tamoxifen in the dosage of 20 mg daily for a period of 18 months. He died three years after postoperative radiotherapy. The cause of death was not related to tumour. No autopsy was done.