Age at diagnosis, tumor grade, stage, surgery, radiotherapy, ER status, and marital status affect overall survival (OS) in male breast cancer. This according to a study of 2,992 men with breast cancer, including ductal (85%), ER-positive (95.1%), and PR-positive (86%) breast cancer. Researchers found:

• 12.4% of patients had grade I tumors.

• Stage I and II disease represented 73% of cases.

• There was a significant association between grade III/IV tumors with ductal histology, ER and PR negativity, advanced stage, receipt of mastectomy and radiotherapy, and breast cancer death.

• ER-positive patients had better OS (HR=0.69); however, after 7.5 years, OS rates by ER status were similar.

• In multivariate analysis, older age, grade III/IV tumors, stage IV disease, no surgery, no radiotherapy, ER-negative tumors, and unmarried patients had significantly shorter OS.

Citation: Leone JP, Zwenger AO, Iturbe J, et al. Prognostic factors in male breast cancer: a population-based study. [Published online ahead of print April 2, 2016]. Breast Cancer Res Treat. doi:10.1007/s10549-016-3768-1.