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Male Breast Cancer: A Population-Based Comparison with Female Breast Cancer in Hong Kong, Southern China: 1997–2006

  • Breast Oncology
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Annals of Surgical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Male breast cancer (MBC) is uncommon. As a result, there is limited availability of studies and reviews and even fewer reports from Asia. This is the largest population-based study to compare Chinese MBC patients with female patients during a 10-year period in Hong Kong, Southern China.

Methods

A retrospective review of medical records of 132 male and 8,118 female breast cancer patients between year 1997 and 2006 in Hong Kong was performed. Each MBC patient was matched with three female breast cancer patients for further analysis. Different characteristics, overall, breast-cancer specific, and disease-free survivals (DFS) were compared.

Results

Mean age at diagnosis of male and female patients was 64.5 and 52.7 years respectively. Male patients showed lower histological grade, overall stage, smaller tumor size, and more positive sensitivity in hormone receptors. They were more likely to die of causes other than breast cancer. Matched analysis found that the 5-year overall survival (OS), breast-cancer–specific mortality, and DFS for male and female patients were 78.7, 90.5, 90.5, and 77.9, 86.4, and 81.4 % respectively. Male patients had poorer OS at early overall stage but better breast-cancer—specific mortality rates at any age (p < 0.01). Male patients had a significant risk of dying due to any cause in the presence of distant relapse and had less risk of dying when tumor was ER-positive and HER2-positive.

Conclusions

Chinese male breast cancer patients tend to have poorer OS but better breast-cancer—specific survival compared with their female counterparts.

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Acknowledgment

The authors thank the Dr. Ellen Li Charitable Foundation and Kuok Foundation for their continual support. We also thank members of the Hong Kong Breast Cancer Research group for their advice on the research: Drs. GKH Au, KKL Chan, MCM Chan, KK Ma, C Chen, LCY Chow, SWC Chan, WH Kwan, ACK Cheng, WWL Foo, LS Ho, BYK Lam, SL Leung, MK Li, MY Luk, FCS Leung, TY Ng, M Poon, IS Soong, DCT Wong, TT Wong, TK Yau, WMM Yeo, MWL Ying, and AHP Tam. Special thanks to the Roger KC Ngan with his continuous support of the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Breast Surgery, Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    Ava Kwong BSc, MBBS, PhD, FRCS, Wai Wang Chau BSc (Hons), MSc (EPI & BIOSTAT), Connie H. N. Wong MSc (EPI & BIOSTAT), BSc (STA), Dacita T. K. Suen MBBS, Kerry Wong BSc(Hons)(UOM), MBiostats(UOM), Andrea Lee, Catherine Shea MBBS & Elliot Morse

  2. The Hong Kong Cancer Registry, Hospital Authority, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    Oscar W. K. Mang MSc, CStat & Stephen C. K. Law MBBS, FRCR

  3. Department of Medical Oncology, Queen Mary Hospital, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong

    R. Leung MBCHB MRCP

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  1. Ava Kwong BSc, MBBS, PhD, FRCS
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  2. Wai Wang Chau BSc (Hons), MSc (EPI & BIOSTAT)
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  3. Oscar W. K. Mang MSc, CStat
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  6. R. Leung MBCHB MRCP
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  7. Kerry Wong BSc(Hons)(UOM), MBiostats(UOM)
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  11. Stephen C. K. Law MBBS, FRCR
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The Hong Kong Breast Cancer Research Group

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Correspondence to Ava Kwong BSc, MBBS, PhD, FRCS.

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Kwong, A., Chau, W.W., Mang, O.W.K. et al. Male Breast Cancer: A Population-Based Comparison with Female Breast Cancer in Hong Kong, Southern China: 1997–2006. Ann Surg Oncol 21, 1246–1253 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-013-3377-8

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