Aromatase inhibitors with or without gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue in metastatic male breast cancer: a case series

• Published in: British journal of cancer 2013-06, Vol.108 (11), p.2259-2263
• Main Authors: Zagouri, F, Sergentanis, T N, Koutoulidis, V, Sparber, C, Steger, G G, Dubsky, P, Zografos, G C, Psaltopoulou, T, Gnant, M, Dimopoulos, M-A, Bartsch, R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 631/154/436/108; 692/699/67/1059/99; 692/699/67/1347; Aged; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal - administration & dosage; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Aromatase Inhibitors - administration & dosage; Aromatase Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms, Male - drug therapy; Breast Neoplasms, Male - pathology; Cancer Research; Cancer therapies; Clinical medicine; Clinical practice guidelines; Clinical Study; Clinical trials; Drug Resistance; Epidemiology; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone - analogs & derivatives; Goserelin - administration & dosage; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Hospitals; Humans; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Male; Mammary gland diseases; Medical schools; Medical sciences; Metastasis; Middle Aged; Molecular Medicine; Multiple tumors. Solid tumors. Tumors in childhood (general aspects); Neoplasm Metastasis; Oncology; Retrospective Studies; Testosterone; Tumors; Womens health
• ISSN: 0007-0920; 1532-1827
• DOI: 10.1038/bjc.2013.255

Background: Data regarding the safety and effectiveness of aromatase inhibitors (AIs) as monotherapy or combined with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogue in male breast cancer are scarce. Methods: In this retrospective chart review, cases of male breast cancer patients treated with AIs with or without a GnRH analogue were evaluated. Results: Twenty-three men were included into this case series. Aromatase inhibitors in combination with or without a GnRH analogue were given as first-line therapy in 60.9% and as second-line therapy in 39.1% of patients, respectively. All patients had visceral metastases, whereas in five of them bone lesions coexisted. In all cases AIs were tolerated well, and no case of grade 3 and 4 adverse events was reported. A partial response was observed in 26.1% of patients and stable disease in 56.5%. Median overall survival (OS) was 39 months and median progression-free survival (PFS) was 13 months. Regarding OS and PFS, no significant effects of GnRH analogue co-administration or type of AI were noted. Conclusion: Our study shows that AIs with or without GnRH analogues may represent an effective and safe treatment option for hormone-receptor positive, pretreated, metastatic, male breast cancer patients.