Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

The Epidemiology of Male Breast Cancer

  • Breast Cancer (B Overmoyer, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Oncology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Male breast cancer is a rare disease, accounting for only 1 % of breast cancer diagnoses in the USA. The current literature suggests that genetic factors including BRCA2 mutations, family history, age, androgen/estrogen imbalance, and environmental exposures may predispose to male breast cancer. In this manuscript, we will review known and possible risk factors for male breast cancer, as well as describe the clinical patterns of the disease.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

  1. Siegel R et al. Cancer statistics, 2014. CA Cancer J Clin. 2014;64(1):9–29.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Jepson AS, Fentiman IS. Male breast cancer. Int J Clin Pract. 1998;52(8):571–6.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Giordano SH et al. Breast carcinoma in men: a population-based study. Cancer. 2004;101(1):51–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Society, A.C. Cancer facts and figures 2015. Atlanta: American Cancer Society; 2015.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Howlader N, Noone AM, Krapcho M, Garshell J, Miller D, Altekruse SF, Kosary CL, Yu M, Ruhl J, Tatalovich Z, Mariotto A, Lewis DR, Chen HS, Feuer EJ, Cronin KA (editors). SEER cancer statistics review, 1975–2011. Bethesda, Maryland: National Cancer Institute.

  6. Cardoso F, Bartlett J, Giordano S, et al., Characterization of male breast cancer: first results of the EORTC10085/TBCRC/BIG/NABCG International Male BC Program, in 2014 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2014, European Organization for Research and Treatmento of Cancer: San Antonio, Texas. This study is the largest collection of male breast cancer biologic samples and clinical characteristics to date. All clinical data and pathology were centrally reviewed for 1473 eligible patients who were treated from 1990 to 2010. The authors report on clinical characteristic and overall survival in male breast cancer patients.

  7. Goss PE et al. Male breast carcinoma: a review of 229 patients who presented to the Princess Margaret Hospital during 40 years: 1955–1996. Cancer. 1999;85(3):629–39.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Masci G et al. Clinicopathological and immunohistochemical characteristics in male breast cancer: a retrospective case series. Oncologist. 2015;20(6):586–92. In this study, Masci et al. evaluated the cliniopathologic characteristics of 97 male breast cancer specimens and found substantial differences than what it typically seen in female breast cancer. Male breast cancer showed higher rates of hormone receptor positivity and lower rates of HER2 overexpression. Furthermore, higher proliferative index and higher grade were associated with shorter overall survival.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Gnerlich JL et al. Poorer survival outcomes for male breast cancer compared with female breast cancer may be attributable to in-stage migration. Ann Surg Oncol. 2011;18(7):1837–44.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Chung HC et al. Expression of prognostic factors (EGFR, ER) by immunohistochemical staining method in male breast cancer. Yonsei Med J. 1991;32(2):126–30.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Fox SB et al. Oestrogen receptor and epidermal growth factor receptor expression in male breast carcinoma. J Pathol. 1992;166(1):13–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Dawson PJ, Paine TM, Wolman SR. Immunocytochemical characterization of male breast cancer. Mod Pathol Off J U S Can Acad Pathol Inc. 1992;5(6):621–5.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Anderson WF et al. Male breast cancer: a population-based comparison with female breast cancer. J Clin Oncol Off J Am Soc Clin Oncol. 2010;28(2):232–9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Arslan UY et al. Outcome of non-metastatic male breast cancer: 118 patients. Med Oncol. 2012;29(2):554–60.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Moore J et al. Prognostic indicators in male breast carcinoma. Breast J. 1998;4(4):261–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Leach IH, Ellis IO, Elston CW. c-erb-B-2 expression in male breast carcinoma. J Clin Pathol. 1992;45(10):942.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Willsher PC et al. Male breast cancer: pathological and immunohistochemical features. Anticancer Res. 1997;17(3C):2335–8.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Leone JP et al. Prognostic significance of tumor subtypes in male breast cancer: a population-based study. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2015;152(3):601–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Anderson WF et al. Is male breast cancer similar or different than female breast cancer? Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2004;83(1):77–86.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Shak S, Palmer G, Baehner FL, Millward C, Watson D, Sledge Jr GW. Molecular characterization of male breast cancer by standardized quantitative RT-PCR analysis: first large genomic study of 347 male breast cancers compared to 82,434 female breast cancers. J Clin Oncol (Meet Abstr). 2009;27:549.

    Google Scholar 

  21. Jamy O et al. Male breast cancer: a 24 year experience of a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev APJCP. 2015;16(4):1559–63.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Albasri A et al. Histopathological features of breast cancer in Al-Madinah region of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Med J. 2014;35(12):1489–93.

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Salehi A et al. Survival of male breast cancer in Fars, South of Iran. Iran Red Crescent Med J. 2011;13(2):99–105.

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Tawil AN et al. Clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical characteristics of male breast cancer: a single center experience. Breast J. 2012;18(1):65–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Ndom P et al. A meta-analysis of male breast cancer in Africa. Breast. 2012;21(3):237–41.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Miao H et al. Incidence and outcome of male breast cancer: an international population-based study. J Clin Oncol Off J Am Soc Clin Oncol. 2011;29(33):4381–6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Chavez-Macgregor M et al. Male breast cancer according to tumor subtype and race: a population-based study. Cancer. 2013;119(9):1611–7.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Sineshaw HM et al. Black/White disparities in receipt of treatment and survival among men with early-stage breast cancer. J Clin Oncol Off J Am Soc Clin Oncol. 2015;33(21):2337–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. O’Malley CD et al. Racial/ethnic differences in survival rates in a population-based series of men with breast carcinoma. Cancer. 2002;94(11):2836–43.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Johnson KC, Pan S, Mao Y. Risk factors for male breast cancer in Canada, 1994–1998. Eur J Cancer Prev Off J Eur Cancer Prev Organ. 2002;11(3):253–63.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Ewertz M et al. Risk factors for male breast cancer—a case–control study from Scandinavia. Acta Oncol. 2001;40(4):467–71.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Lenfant-Pejovic MH et al. Risk factors for male breast cancer: a Franco-Swiss case–control study. Int J Cancer. 1990;45(4):661–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Brinton LA et al. Prospective evaluation of risk factors for male breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2008;100(20):1477–81.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. D’Avanzo B, La Vecchia C. Risk factors for male breast cancer. Br J Cancer. 1995;71(6):1359–62.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Rosenblatt KA et al. Breast cancer in men: aspects of familial aggregation. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1991;83(12):849–54.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Casagrande JT et al. A case–control study of male breast cancer. Cancer Res. 1988;48(5):1326–30.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Basham VM et al. BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in a population-based study of male breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res BCR. 2002;4(1):R2.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Ottini L et al. BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation status and tumor characteristics in male breast cancer: a population-based study in Italy. Cancer Res. 2003;63(2):342–7.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Boyd J et al. Male breast cancer in the hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer syndrome. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 1999;53(1):87–91.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Fackenthal JD et al. Male breast cancer in Cowden syndrome patients with germline PTEN mutations. J Med Genet. 2001;38(3):159–64.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Ruddy KJ, Winer EP. Male breast cancer: risk factors, biology, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship. Ann Oncol Off J Eur Soc Med Oncol ESMO. 2013;24(6):1434–43.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Holloman WK. Unraveling the mechanism of BRCA2 in homologous recombination. Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2011;18(7):748–54.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Couch FJ et al. BRCA2 germline mutations in male breast cancer cases and breast cancer families. Nat Genet. 1996;13(1):123–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Friedman LS et al. Mutation analysis of BRCA1 and BRCA2 in a male breast cancer population. Am J Hum Genet. 1997;60(2):313–9.

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Easton DF et al. Cancer risks in two large breast cancer families linked to BRCA2 on chromosome 13q12-13. Am J Hum Genet. 1997;61(1):120–8.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Thompson D, Easton D. Variation in cancer risks, by mutation position, in BRCA2 mutation carriers. Am J Hum Genet. 2001;68(2):410–9.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Kwiatkowska E et al. BRCA2 mutations and androgen receptor expression as independent predictors of outcome of male breast cancer patients. Clin Cancer Res Off J Am Assoc Cancer Res. 2003;9(12):4452–9.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Thorlacius S et al. Study of a single BRCA2 mutation with high carrier frequency in a small population. Am J Hum Genet. 1997;60(5):1079–84.

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Struewing JP et al. Founder BRCA1/2 mutations among male patients with breast cancer in Israel. Am J Hum Genet. 1999;65(6):1800–2.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Sverdlov RS et al. Genetic analyses of male breast cancer in Israel. Genet Test. 2000;4(3):313–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Zhou BB, Elledge SJ. The DNA damage response: putting checkpoints in perspective. Nature. 2000;408(6811):433–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Meijers-Heijboer H et al. Low-penetrance susceptibility to breast cancer due to CHEK2(*)1100delC in noncarriers of BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. Nat Genet. 2002;31(1):55–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Neuhausen S et al. Role of CHEK2*1100delC in unselected series of non-BRCA1/2 male breast cancers. Int J Cancer. 2004;108(3):477–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Falchetti M et al. BRCA1/BRCA2 rearrangements and CHEK2 common mutations are infrequent in Italian male breast cancer cases. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2008;110(1):161–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Martinez-Bouzas C et al. CHEK2 1100delC is present in familial breast cancer cases of the Basque Country. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2007;103(1):111–3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Caligo MA et al. The CHEK2 c.1100delC mutation plays an irrelevant role in breast cancer predisposition in Italy. Hum Mutat. 2004;24(1):100–1.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Weischer M et al. Increased risk of breast cancer associated with CHEK2*1100delC. J Clin Oncol Off J Am Soc Clin Oncol. 2007;25(1):57–63.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  58. Rizzolo P et al. Male breast cancer: genetics, epigenetics, and ethical aspects. Ann Oncol Off J Eur Soc Med Oncol ESMO. 2013;24(8):viii75–82.

    Google Scholar 

  59. Young IE et al. A polymorphism in the CYP17 gene is associated with male breast cancer. Br J Cancer. 1999;81(1):141–3.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Harnden DG, Maclean N, Langlands AO. Carcinoma of the breast and Klinefelter’s syndrome. J Med Genet. 1971;8(4):460–1.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Giordano SH. A review of the diagnosis and management of male breast cancer. Oncologist. 2005;10(7):471–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Hultborn R et al. Prevalence of Klinefelter’s syndrome in male breast cancer patients. Anticancer Res. 1997;17(6D):4293–7.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. Newman J. Breast cancer in men and mammography of the male breast. Radiol Technol. 1997;69(1):17–28. quiz 29–36.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  64. Scheike O, Visfeldt J, Petersen B. Male breast cancer. 3. Breast carcinoma in association with the Klinefelter syndrome. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand A Pathol. 1973;81(3):352–8.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Lynch HT, Watson P, Narod SA. The genetic epidemiology of male breast carcinoma. Cancer. 1999;86(5):744–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Evans DB, Crichlow RW. Carcinoma of the male breast and Klinefelter’s syndrome: is there an association? CA Cancer J Clin. 1987;37(4):246–51.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  67. Thomas DB et al. Breast cancer in men: risk factors with hormonal implications. Am J Epidemiol. 1992;135(7):734–48.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  68. Mester J, Eng C. Cowden syndrome: recognizing and managing a not-so-rare hereditary cancer syndrome. J Surg Oncol. 2015;111(1):125–30.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  69. Ottini L et al. Male breast cancer. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2010;73(2):141–55.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  70. Brinton LA et al. Anthropometric and hormonal risk factors for male breast cancer: male breast cancer pooling project results. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2014;106(3):djt465.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  71. Hsing AW et al. Risk factors for male breast cancer (United States). Cancer Causes Control CCC. 1998;9(3):269–75.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  72. Brinton LA et al. Prediagnostic sex steroid hormones in relation to male breast cancer risk. J Clin Oncol Off J Am Soc Clin Oncol. 2015;33(18):2041–50.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  73. Longcope C et al. Estrogen and androgen dynamics in liver disease. J Endocrinol Investig. 1984;7(6):629–34.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  74. Guechot J et al. Sex hormone imbalance in male alcoholic cirrhotic patients with and without hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer. 1988;62(4):760–2.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  75. Sorensen HT et al. Risk of breast cancer in men with liver cirrhosis. Am J Gastroenterol. 1998;93(2):231–3.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  76. Mills PR et al. Primary biliary cirrhosis: an increased incidence of extrahepatic malignancies? J Clin Pathol. 1982;35(5):541–3.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  77. Goudie BM et al. Breast cancer in women with primary biliary cirrhosis. Br Med J. 1985;291(6509):1597–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  78. Wolke AM et al. Malignancy in primary biliary cirrhosis. High incidence of breast cancer in affected women. Am J Med. 1984;76(6):1075–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  79. Floreani A et al. Hepatic and extrahepatic malignancies in primary biliary cirrhosis. Hepatology. 1999;29(5):1425–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  80. Rubino A, Fissi S, Secreto G. Bilateral breast cancer in a male patient with hepatocellular carcinoma. A case report. Ann Ital Chir. 2008;79(2):117–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  81. Yoneda S et al. Breast cancer developed in a male patient with liver cirrhosis bearing hepatocellular carcinoma. Am J Gastroenterol. 2000;95(2):556–7.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  82. Sasco AJ, Lowenfels AB, Pasker-de Jong P. Review article: epidemiology of male breast cancer. A meta-analysis of published case–control studies and discussion of selected aetiological factors. Int J Cancer. 1993;53(4):538–49.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  83. Thomas E. Original research: men’s awareness and knowledge of male breast cancer. Am J Nurs. 2010;110(10):32–7. 39–40; quiz 41–2.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  84. Thomas DB et al. Ionizing radiation and breast cancer in men (United States). Cancer Causes Control CCC. 1994;5(1):9–14.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  85. Mabuchi K, Bross DS, Kessler II. Risk factors for male breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1985;74(2):371–5.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  86. Pollan M, Gustavsson P, Floderus B. Breast cancer, occupation, and exposure to electromagnetic fields among Swedish men. Am J Ind Med. 2001;39(3):276–85.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  87. Giordano SH, Buzdar AU, Hortobagyi GN. Breast cancer in men. Ann Intern Med. 2002;137(8):678–87.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  88. Bove FJ et al. Mortality study of civilian employees exposed to contaminated drinking water at USMC Base Camp Lejeune: a retrospective cohort study. Environ Health Glob Access Sci Sour. 2014;13:68.

    Google Scholar 

  89. Cocco P et al. Case–control study of occupational exposures and male breast cancer. Occup Environ Med. 1998;55(9):599–604.

    Article  PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  90. Feychting M et al. Magnetic fields and breast cancer in Swedish adults residing near high-voltage power lines. Epidemiology. 1998;9(4):392–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  91. Stenlund C, Floderus B. Occupational exposure to magnetic fields in relation to male breast cancer and testicular cancer: a Swedish case–control study. Cancer Causes Control CCC. 1997;8(2):184–91.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  92. Matanoski GM, Breysse PN, Elliott EA. Electromagnetic field exposure and male breast cancer. Lancet. 1991;337(8743):737.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  93. Theriault G et al. Cancer risks associated with occupational exposure to magnetic fields among electric utility workers in Ontario and Quebec, Canada, and France: 1970–1989. Am J Epidemiol. 1994;139(6):550–72.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  94. Guenel P et al. Incidence of cancer in persons with occupational exposure to electromagnetic fields in Denmark. Br J Ind Med. 1993;50(8):758–64.

    PubMed Central  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  95. Stalsberg H et al. Histologic types and hormone receptors in breast cancer in men: a population-based study in 282 United States men. Cancer Causes Control CCC. 1993;4(2):143–51.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  96. Wick MR et al. Low-stage carcinoma of the male breast. A histologic, immunohistochemical, and flow cytometric comparison with localized female breast carcinoma. Am J Clin Pathol. 1999;111(1):59–69.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kathryn J. Ruddy.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

Raina M. Ferzoco and Kathryn J. Ruddy declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Funding

This publication was made possible by CTSA grant numbers UL1 TR000135 and KL2TR000136-09 from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of NIH.

Additional information

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Breast Cancer

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ferzoco, R.M., Ruddy, K.J. The Epidemiology of Male Breast Cancer. Curr Oncol Rep 18, 1 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11912-015-0487-4

Download citation

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11912-015-0487-4

Keywords

Navigation