RATIONALE/OBJECTIVE: Breast cancer among males is often diagnosed at a later age and at an advanced stage. The study aimed to present the epidemiology, associated risk factors, clinical and pathological characteristics, treatment patterns and outcomes of male breast cancer patients treated at the Philippine General Hospital from January 2008- December 2017. Information from this study can provide for better understanding of the disease and basis for creating guidelines toward better outcomes. METHODS: Retrospective study of medical records involving male breast cancer patients who underwent surgery and treatment at the Philippine General Hospital from January 2008- December 2017. RESULTS: Male breast cancer accounted for 15 (0.26%) of 5,777 resected breast specimens for breast cancer patients with a 1:384 male to female ratio. The mean age of presentation was 60 years. The most common presentation was a retro-areolar mass, with 33% of patients presenting post-excision. Sixty-seven percent were at Stage II and 20% at Stage III. About 94% of patients have invasive ductal carcinoma, while the only other histology is papillary carcinoma at 13%. Majority of those tested were both estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor (ER/PR) positive (33% versus 1 %), and Her2neu negative. All patients underwent modified radical mastectomy. Only two patients were documented to have received adjuvant chemotherapy while one patient received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. CONCLUSION Breast cancer remains to be a rare disease among males, is often diagnosed at a later age and at an advanced stage. Because of its rarity, awareness is necessary not only in the community but also among healthcare providers to identify and treat the problem earlier. Further investigation and prospective studies are recommended.
radiotherapy ; recurrence ; survival

OBJECTIVES: The study aims to develop and validate a health-related quality of life (HRQoL) questionnaire for adult Filipinos with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) that can be used in combination with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 Questionnaire.
METHODOLOGY: The study had 4 phases. Phase I involved generation of HRQoL issues from literature review, focus group discussions with 6 DTC patients and 5 health care professionals (HCP). Subsequent assessment for relevance and importance of the HRQoL issues by 20 patients and HCP panel was done. Phase II was formulation of the HRQoL issues into questionnaire and subsequent translation into Filipino. Phase III was pilot testing of the questionnaire in 15 patients. Phase IV was validation of the pre-final questionnaire in 231 patients.
RESULTS: In Phase I, 28 HRQoL issues were generated. In Phase II, a 28-item Filipino questionnaire was created. In Phase III, 22 items that were not upsetting or confusing to patients and with good range of responses were retained. After Phase IV, a 22-item questionnaire with 5 conceptual scales (perceived fears, psychological distress/anxiety, functionality, voice complaints, neck complaints) was created.
CONCLUSIONS: The developed and validated 22-item questionnaire can be used to assess HRQoL issues in adult Filipinos with DTC.

Human ; Male ; Thyroid Gland ; Neoplasms ; Quality Of Life ; Philippines ; Validation Studies ; Patients ; Anxiety

In an effort to unify treatment approaches to patients with well-differentiated thyroid cancer of follicular cell origin, the Section of Endocrinology, Section of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Surgery, and Department of Otorhinolaryngology of the Philippine General Hospital formulated and published a clinical practice guideline on the management of well-differentiated thyroid cancer in 2008. In recognition of the new literature on thyroid cancer, as well as the questions that have arisen from the use of the guideline, the group reconvened in 2011 to review and update the clinical practice guideline designed for patients seen at the Philippine General Hospital. This article summarizes the latest revisions and recommendations.

Endocrinology ; Hospitals, General ; Nuclear Medicine ; Otolaryngology ; Philippines ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Thyroid Neoplasms