Male breast cancer – case report and meta-analysis of available treatment methods

Male breast cancer (MBC) occurs very rarely and accounts for 1% of all cases of breast cancer in Poland. According to current statistics male breast cancer is responsible for 0.1% of death cases triggered by neoplastic diseases. In this study, we present a case of an 84-year-old patient operated on due to MBC. We describe the diagnostic process and treatment in a patient who was hospitalized in the Surgical Oncology Department – Medical University of Gdańsk in February 2008. MBC has a relatively low incidence; therefore current recommendations for its treatment rely mainly on experiences in female breast cancer. Our meta-analysis demonstrates that, in spite of continuous development of medical techniques, male breast cancer treatment seems to be still a serious problem. There is no high level evidence stemming from randomized clinical trials to guide treatment decisions. So far we have not achieved satisfying treatment results while using the procedures prepared on the basis of our experiences with female breast cancer. Countless dilemmas and unsatisfactory treatment efficacy in patients with male breast cancer indicate that MBC therapeutic procedures ought to be standardized.