[Breast carcinoma in men: radiotherapy and treatment results]

The treatment of 34 men with stage T1 N0 M0 to T3/4 N1 M0 mammary carcinomas was followed by a five-year survival rate of 70%. Three patients suffering from initial remote metastases died after 2 to 3.5 years. The probability of a five-year survival decreases with increasing tumor growth and axillary involvement. The prognostic effect of receptor state and grading could not be investigated in our patients. Our own data as well as recent data from literature suggest that, with respect to TNM stages in mammary carcinoma, there is no prognostic difference between men and women. It is not very clear at present if postoperative irradiation exerts a favorable influence on the survival rate. However, it reduces the local recurrence risk for men and women. 45 Gy in five weeks should be considered as a minimum dose. The indications for postoperative irradiation are discussed.