Male Breast Cancer: A Study on Clinical and Biological Characteristics from a Portuguese Certified Breast Center

Abstract

Purpose: To describe the clinical and biological characteristics of breast carcinoma in men, to compare with the characteristics observed in women and to evaluate the results of the treatment. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted involving all male patients with breast carcinoma treated between 2000 and 2022 at the Breast Center of the Unidade Local de Saúde de São João, Porto, Portugal. A 3:1 random selection of women, treated over the same period, was made for comparison. Patients were followed up until 2023 and survival analyses were performed. Results: Thirty-two men and ninety-six women were analyzed. The median age of male patients at diagnosis was 62 years. Compared to women, there was a significantly higher percentage of male patients over the age of 50 years. BRCA2 mutations were identified in a significantly higher percentage of men. We observed larger tumor sizes in male patients (pT2 25.0%), a higher percentage of lymph node metastasis (pN1 40.6%) and a higher percentage of distant metastasis (21.9%) compared with female patients. Significant differences were found in the type of surgery (90.6% of men underwent mastectomy), the use of chemotherapy and axillary lymph node dissection (46.9% and 34.4% of men, respectively). Male patients diagnosed with breast cancer presented a lower cumulative survival than female patients. Age over 50 years and stage IV tumors increased the risk of death. Conclusion: Male patients were diagnosed at an older age with more advanced tumors, which may explain the worse survival rates compared to female patients. Male Breast Cancer is a significant condition that needs increased awareness, to promote early detection.