ACS: Surgery May Benefit Men With Stage IV Breast Cancer

MONDAY, Oct. 25, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Men with stage IV breast cancer and known estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) status may benefit from surgical intervention rather than systemic therapy (ST) alone, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Surgeons, held virtually from Oct. 23 to 27.

Kelly A. Stahl, M.D., from the Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, and colleagues used the National Cancer Database to identify 539 stage IV male breast cancer patients with known ER and PR status from 2004 to 2017. Overall survival was assessed, and the factors associated with survival were examined.

The researchers found that patients who received ST, surgery, and radiation (trimodality) had a survival advantage compared with those who received ST alone (hazard ratio, 0.622). The five-year overall survival rate was improved for ER+ patients who received trimodality or ST and surgery compared with ST alone (40, 27, and 20 percent, respectively); findings were similar for PR+ patients (39, 24, and 20 percent, respectively). The sequence of treatment was significant: For ER+ patients, the greatest survival advantage was seen with receipt of neoadjuvant chemotherapy compared with adjuvant chemotherapy (hazard ratio, 0.342).

“We’re trying to catch up to better tailor our treatment of men with breast cancer and this study shows how treatment can be tailored in stage IV disease,” a coauthor said in a statement.

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