[The clinico-diagnostic and therapeutic considerations in carcinoma of the male breast]

Abstract

Three cases of male breast cancer, observed during the last 10 years at the III Surgical Department of the University of Rome "La Sapienza", out of a total of 282 operations performed for mammary carcinoma are reported. In agreement to what reported in the literature the M/F ratio was 1:100. It is pointed out how male breast cancer compared to the female one, involves older subjects. Furthermore, since the disease in males reaches its most advanced stages quite rapidly a radical surgical treatment such as the traditional Halsted operation is mandatory. The prevalence of the histopathological form of invasive ductal carcinoma and the high frequency of intratumoral estradiol and progesterone receptors are confirmed. The latter in many cases allows for adjuvant hormonal therapy and represents, in association with polychemotherapy, a valid alternative to traditional endocrino-surgical therapy, both in terms of long term prognosis and quality of life.