Breast carcinomas are an uncommon neoplastic condition in men, accounting for only 1% of all breast cancers, and less than 1% of all malignancies in men. A 70-year-old man who presented a right breast mass was found to have infiltrating ductal carcinoma. We herein report the case with a review of the literature.
Aged ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal* ; Humans ; Male*

Breast carcinoma in men is very rare but a potentially serious neoplasm. We report herein a case of male breast carcinoma presented with a mobile asymptomatic nodule on the chest in a 73-year-old man. Histopathologic diagnosis was invasive ductal carcinoma of a male breast.
Aged ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast Neoplasms, Male* ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Male* ; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 ; Thorax*

PURPOSE: To observe the effectiveness of the practical instruction sheet and the educational video for left-sided breast treatment in a patient receiving deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) technique. Two parameters, simulation time and patient satisfaction, were assessed through the questionnaire. METHODS: Two different approaches, which were the instruction sheet and educational video, were combinedly used to assist patients during DIBH procedures. The guideline was assigned at least 1 week before the simulation date. On the simulation day, patients would fill the questionnaire regarding their satisfaction with the DIBH instruction. The questionnaire was categorized into five levels: extremely satisfied to dissatisfied, sequentially. The patients were divided into four groups: not DIBH technique, DIBH without instruction materials, the DIBH with instruction sheet or educational video, and DIBH with both of instruction sheet and educational video. RESULTS: Total number of 112 cases of left-sided breast cancer were analyzed. The simulation time during DIBH procedure significantly reduced when patients followed the instruction. There was no significant difference in simulation time on the DIBH procedures between patient compliance via instruction sheet or educational video or even following both of them. The excellent level was found at 4.6 ± 0.1 and 4.5 ± 0.1, for patients coaching via instruction sheet as well as on the educational video, respectively. CONCLUSION: Patient coaching before simulation could potentially reduce the lengthy time in the simulation process for DIBH technique. Practicing the DIBH technique before treatment is strongly advised.
Breast Neoplasms ; Breast ; Cardiotoxicity ; Humans ; Patient Compliance ; Patient Satisfaction ; Unilateral Breast Neoplasms

PURPOSE: Deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) is a well-established technique that enables efficient cardiac sparing in patients with left-sided breast cancer. The aim of the current study was to determine if DIBH is effective for reducing radiation exposure of of liver and other organs at risk in right breast radiotherapy (RT).MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients with right-sided breast cancer were enrolled in this study. Three-dimensional conformal RT plans were generated for each patient, with two different computed tomography scans of free breathing (FB) and DIBH. Nodes were contoured according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group contouring guidelines. Dose-volume histograms for the target volume coverage and organs at risk were evaluated and analyzed.RESULTS: DIBH plans showed significant reduction in mean liver dose (5.59 ± 2.07 Gy vs. 2.54 ± 1.40 Gy; p = 0.0003), V(20Gy) (148.38 ± 73.05 vs. 64.19 ± 51.07 mL; p = 0.0003) and V(10Gy) (195.34 ± 93.57 vs. 89.81 ± 57.28 mL; p = 0.0003) volumes compared with FB plans. Right lung doses were also significantly reduced in DIBH plans. Heart and left lung doses showed small but statistically significant improvement with application of the DIBH technique.CONCLUSION: We report that the use of DIBH for right-sided breast cancer significantly reduces the radiation doses to the liver, lungs, and heart.
Breast Neoplasms ; Breast ; Heart ; Humans ; Liver ; Lung ; Organs at Risk ; Radiation Exposure ; Radiotherapy ; Respiration ; Unilateral Breast Neoplasms

Apocrine carcinoma is an uncommon, poorly characterized type of breast tumor. The histologic characteristics of apocrine epithelium in malignant breast lesion were first noted by Krompecher(1916), while the first detailed description of an apocrine carcinoma is credited to Ewing in 1928. The reported incidence of apocrine carcinoma is approximately 0.4% of breast cancers. Apocrine carcinoma has distinct histologic and ultrastructural features that distinguish it as a specialized form of infiltrating ductal carcinoma. The finding of a uniform pattern of apocrine differentiation with dense granularity typifying the majority of cells characterizes this variant. We experienced two cases of invasive apocrine carcinoma of the breast and report with a review of the related literature.
Breast Neoplasms ; Breast* ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Epithelium ; Incidence

Tc-99m methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) scintigraphy is generally used as a second-line diagnostic tool for obscured breast lesions. When the entire field of view is examined carefully, it is often possible to detect additional lesions unrelated to the initial intent and purpose of the examination. Herein we present a case of breast cancer incidentally detected by cardiac Tc-99m MIBI scintigraphy. An area of uptake was detected in the breast during a cardiac imaging test. Further evaluation of this lesion revealed a histopathological diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast. Sensitivity of this scintigraphic technique is not enough sufficient to use this test as a screening test for breast cancer, but it may provide supplemental information. Since it is not uncommon to find incidental lesions during imaging studies, examination of the image field may help clinicians find otherwise unrecognized or undiagnosed pathologies.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Mass Screening

PURPOSE: There has been an increasing trend in the use of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) among women diagnosed with unilateral breast cancer or mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 to reduce the occurrence of contralateral breast cancer. This study aimed to examine trends in the CPM rate according to clinicopathologic and socioeconomic status at a single institution in Korea. METHODS: This study included 128 patients with mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2. Patients were divided into a CPM group (n = 8) and a non-CPM group (n = 120) between May 2013 and March 2016. The main outcome variables, including epidemiology, clinical features, socioeconomic status, and tumor characteristics, were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 8 CPMs were performed among 128 patients. All CPM patients were married. The proportion of professional working women was higher in the CPM group (P = 0.049). Most patients who underwent CPM graduated college, compared to less than a third of the non-CPM group (P = 0.013). The CPM group had a higher rate of visits to the Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) clinic (P = 0.021). The risk-reducing salpingo-oophorectomy (RRSO) rate was significantly higher in the CPM group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: CPM rates were significantly different according to socioeconomic status. The CPM rate tends to increase in highly educated and professional working women. The socioeconomic status of patients is an important factor in the decision to participate in the HBOC clinic and undergo CPM or RRSO.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Mastectomy ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; Social Class ; Unilateral Breast Neoplasms ; Women, Working

The incidence of male breast cancer is very low, accounting for less than 1% of that of female breast cancer. Because of its low incidence, the experience of individual physicians with male breast cancer is limited. Futhermore, screening and clinical trials do not exist for men. Thus, there is a delay to seek medical consultation. We describe a case of breast cancer occurring in an 82-year-old man. He presented with a solitary, asymptomatic, and rigid subcutaneous mass under the areolar area of the left breast. Histopathologic examination showed an infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast. Immunohistochemically, estrogen and progesterone receptors were expressed in 90% and 70% of tumor cell nuclei, respectively.
Aged, 80 and over ; Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast Neoplasms, Male* ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Cell Nucleus ; Estrogens* ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Male ; Male* ; Mass Screening ; Progesterone* ; Receptors, Progesterone

PURPOSE: Breast cancer treatment has progressed significantly over the past 20 years. However, knowledge regarding male breast cancer (MBC) is sparse because of its rarity. This study is an investigation of the clinicopathologic features, treatments, and clinical outcomes of MBC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinical records of 59 MBC patients diagnosed during 1995-2014 from seven institutions in Korea were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Over a 20-year period, MBC patients accounted for 0.98% among total breast cancer patients, and increased every 5 years. The median age of MBC patientswas 66 years (range, 24 to 87 years). Forty-three patients (73%) complained of a palpable breast mass initially. The median symptom duration was 5 months (range, 1 to 36 months). Mastectomy was performed in 96% of the patients. The most frequent histology was infiltrating ductal carcinoma (75%). Ninety-one percent of tumors (38/43) were estrogen receptor–positive, and 28% (11/40) showed epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) overexpression. After curative surgery, 42% of patients (19/45) received adjuvant chemotherapy; 77% (27/35) received hormone therapy. Five out of ten patients with HER-2 overexpressing tumors did not receive adjuvant anti–HER-2 therapy, while two out of four patients with HER-2 overexpressing tumors received palliative trastuzumab for recurrent and metastatic disease. Letrozole was used for one patient in the palliative setting. The median overall survival durations were 7.2 years (range, 0.6 to 17.0 years) in patients with localized disease and 2.9 years (range, 0.6 to 4.3 years) in those with recurrent or metastatic disease. CONCLUSION: Anti–HER-2 and hormonal therapy, except tamoxifen, have been underutilized in Korean MBC patients compared to female breast cancer patients. With the development of precision medicine, active treatment with targeted agents should be applied. Further investigation of the unique pathobiology of MBC is clinically warranted.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast Neoplasms, Male* ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Estrogens ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; Male* ; Mastectomy ; Precision Medicine ; Prognosis ; Receptor, Epidermal Growth Factor ; Retrospective Studies ; Tamoxifen ; Trastuzumab

Breast carcinoma in men is very rare but is a potentially life-threatening neoplasm. The most common form of clinical presentation is a painless, firm, retroareolar mass. However, in some cases, primary focus of the tumor may not be detected but present with metastatic lesions. We report a case of male breast carcinoma presented with axillary lymph node enlargement and subsequent erythematous infiltration of chest wall in a 60-year-old man. Histopathologic examination showed invasive ductal carcinoma of breast, and both estrogen and progesterone receptors were weakly positive.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast Neoplasms, Male* ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Estrogens ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes* ; Male ; Male* ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1 ; Neoplasm Metastasis* ; Receptors, Progesterone ; Skin* ; Thoracic Wall