Update on Prognosis Patterns in Men With Breast Cancer
Posted: Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Based on information from a 10-year period from the National Cancer Data Base, Kathryn J. Ruddy, MD, MPH, of the Mayo Clinic, Minnesota, and colleagues identified several factors as being associated with prognosis in male patients with breast cancer. Their findings, which were published in the journal Cancer, demonstrated that treatment of this patient population has evolved over the past decade.
“The results of the current study highlight unique practice patterns and factors associated with prognosis in patients with male breast cancer, furthering our understanding of the treatment and prognosis of male breast cancer and identifying unanswered questions for future research,” the authors concluded.
A total of 10,873 patients with male breast cancer (stage I to III invasive ductal carcinoma or invasive lobular carcinoma) were included in the analysis. The median age at the time of breast cancer diagnosis was 64 years. Approximately 51% of patients were diagnosed between the ages of 50 and 69.
Factors found to be associated with worse overall survival were older age, black race, higher Charlson Comorbidity Index, high tumor grade and stage of disease, and undergoing total mastectomy. Conversely, residing in a higher income area; having progesterone receptor–positive tumors; and receipt of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and endocrine therapy seemed to be associated with better overall survival. Increases in the rates of total mastectomy were identified, as well as increases in post–breast conserving surgery radiotherapy, ordering of Oncotype DX testing, and the use of endocrine therapy.
Disclosure: The study authors’ disclosure information can be found at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.32472.
