Demographics, Tumor Biology and Treatment Outcomes of Male Breast Cancer Patients From a Tertiary Cancer Center in North India: A Real-World Study

Abstract

Background: Male breast cancer (MBC) is a rare malignancy, and treatment recommendations are largely extrapolated from female breast cancer data. Real-world evidence from India remains limited. Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the demographic, clinicopathological, treatment, and survival characteristics of MBC patients treated at a tertiary cancer center in India. Methods: This retrospective real-world study included MBC patients treated between January 2012 and January 2024. Demographic, clinicopathological, treatment, and outcome data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Kaplan-Meier survival estimates. Results: A total of 107 patients were included. The median age at diagnosis was 62 years (range: 26-82). Left-sided disease was slightly more common (51.4%), and invasive ductal carcinoma was the predominant histology (88.8%). Eighteen patients (16.8%) presented with advanced/metastatic disease. Hormone receptor positivity was high, with estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 positivity rates of 88.5%, 89.1%, and 7.7%, respectively. Modified radical mastectomy was the most common surgical procedure (75.6%). At a median follow-up of 27.9 months, the median overall survival was 111.7 months. Conclusion: MBC in this study was characterized by a substantial proportion of patients presenting with advanced disease and high hormone receptor positivity. Greater awareness and earlier diagnosis may improve outcomes in this rare malignancy.