Predicting Overall Survival in Patients with Male Breast Cancer: Nomogram Development and External Validation Study.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Cancer Prognostics
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Male breast cancer (MBC) is a rare malignancy with limited prognostic studies.
• Understanding MBC prognosis is crucial due to its infrequent occurrence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and externally validate a nomogram for predicting overall survival in male breast cancer patients.
• To provide a tool for improved clinical decision-making in MBC management.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database for model development and internal validation.
• Employed Cox regression analysis to identify significant prognostic variables.
• Externally validated the nomogram using data from a Chinese hospital cohort.

Main Results:

• A nomogram incorporating 7 variables (age, surgery, marital status, tumor stage, clinical stage, chemotherapy, HER2 status) was constructed.
• The nomogram demonstrated high accuracy with concordance indices of 0.72 (training), 0.747 (internal validation), and 0.981 (external validation).
• The model effectively differentiated risk subgroups, showing significantly better survival for low-risk MBC patients.

Conclusions:

• A validated nomogram for male breast cancer survival prediction has been developed.
• This tool offers a scientific basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment strategies in MBC.
• The nomogram aids in stratifying patients and guiding personalized care for improved outcomes.