Changes in therapeutic strategies in Chinese male patients with breast cancer: 40 years of experience in a single institute

The changes in therapeutic strategies were determined and the efficacy of radical mastectomy (RM) and modified radical mastectomy (MRM) on Chinese male breast cancer (MBC) patients was compared. Seventy MBC patients, with a median age of 61 years, were enrolled. The characteristics of MBC were compared in cohort A (1969–1997) and cohort B (1998–2009), and the prognosis was compared between the RM and MRM groups. Infiltrating ductal carcinoma accounted for 81.4% of all cases; 93.7% were estrogen receptor (ER)/progesterone receptor (PR)-positive. More patients in cohort B accepted multidisciplinary treatment, MRM, adjuvant chemotherapy, and endocrine therapy than those in cohort A; however, the 5-year overall survival rates were similar in the two cohorts. The overall survival curves, locoregional recurrence rates, and systematic metastatic rates were similar in the RM and MRM groups. Currently, more MBC patients receive conservative surgery; MRM may be equally effective as RM for MBC.