Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 16, 2026

Author Spotlight: Demonstrating Systematic Endobronchial Ultrasound to New Endoscopists
Published on: August 11, 2023
Should Adjuvant Radiation Therapy Be Systematically Proposed for Male Breast Cancer? A Systematic Review
Pauline Jardel1, Stéphane Vignot2, Bruno Cutuli3
1Department of Radiation Oncology, Chicoutimi Hospital, Saguenay, QC, Canada.
Background:
Guidelines for radiotherapy in male breast cancer (MBC) are lacking. Some extrapolate the results from female breast cancer trials, while others advocate systematic adjuvant irradiation. We evaluated clinical practices and outcomes with respect to radiation therapy in MBC treated with locoregional irradiation in the adjuvant setting using a systematic literature review.
Material And Methods:
We included studies with data about adjuvant radiotherapy published between 1984 and 2017 and including at least 40 patients.
Results:
We found 29 retrospective series, 10,065 men were diagnosed with breast cancer; 3-100% (mean=54%) received adjuvant radiotherapy. Tumor size and nodal involvement were the strongest prognostic factors. Approximatively half of all cases had nodal metastases. Radiation therapy improved locoregional control in six series, overall survival in three and distant metastasis-free survival in one.
Conclusion:
MBC is diagnosed at a highly advanced stage and may be linked with poorer outcomes. Adjuvant radiation therapy must, at least, be proposed to men with positive nodes. Despite the large number of cases gathered here, arguments for radiotherapy in other prognostic subgroups (especially in pN0) may exist but are not well supported.
Related Concept Videos
Random and Systematic Errors
Systematic Sampling Method
Systematic sampling is one of the simplest methods...
Propagation of Uncertainty from Systematic Error
Systematic Error: Methodological and Sampling Errors
Sampling errors originate from improper sampling methods or the wrong sample population. These errors can be minimized by refining the sampling strategy. Defective instruments or faulty calibrations are the sources of instrumental...
Chemical Equilibria: Systematic Approach to Equilibrium Calculations
The first step is to identify all the chemical reactions involved, The...
Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...

