Case report: Cohort study on male breast cancer patients in a tertiary center of Santiago, Chile

Abstract

Objective: Breast cancer is rare in men, accounting for less than 1% of all breast cancer diagnoses. Compared with
females, it usually occurs at an older age, in a more advanced stage, and with positive estrogen receptors. The objective
of this paper was to report five cases of breast cancer in men diagnosed at the San Borja Arriarán Clinical Hospital in
Santiago de Chile between 2017 and 2022. The epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic, and evolutionary profiles were analyzed. The median age was 70 years, and the evolution time to diagnosis was 8 months. In four cases, the reason for consultation was self-palpation of a breast tumor and in one case due to axillary adenopathy. Four cases presented as cT1-T2
N0 and one case presented as T1N3M1 (cutaneous) (mean size 28 mm). The histology was infiltrating ductal carcinoma
(three cases), one case of papillary cancer, and one of adenocarcinoma. The prognostic factors were positive estrogen and
progesterone receptors in four cases (infiltrating and papillary ductal carcinoma) and triple-negative in one case (adenocarcinoma, metastatic debut). Treatment was surgery in four cases (total mastectomy with sentinel lymph node biopsy)
and adjuvant radiotherapy and hormone therapy. The patient with metastatic debut was treated with palliative radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Follow-up of the five cases has been maintained. There are no deaths to date, but there was
one case of visceral progression during hormone therapy