Diagnosis and Treatment of Male Accessory Breast Cancer: A Comprehensive Systematic Review

Abstract

BackgroundAccessory breast cancer is extremely rare, especially in male patients, and only a few cases have been reported in the literature. To date, no specific guidelines regarding its diagnosis and treatment are available.ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of male accessory breast cancer by reviewing the available literature on this disease.MethodsThe Web of Science, Cochrane, PubMed, and CNKI databases were systematically searched (last search: 30 November 2020) to identify studies on male axillary accessory breast cancer. The following data were extracted: author names, number of patients, country, patient age, tumor location, tumor size, pathologic diagnosis, and treatment.ResultsThere were 16 studies included (6 in Chinese and 10 in English), corresponding to 16 cases of male axillary accessory breast cancer. Primary surgical resection is currently the main procedure, followed by comprehensive treatment including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and endocrine therapy. Patient age ranged from 51–87 years, and the average age was 67.1 years. The main clinical features of the patients were pain, the portion of the skin covering the mass was either reddish or purplish, and the mass could show swelling and erosion on the surface, with purulent exudate.ConclusionsOnce male accessory breast cancer is diagnosed, we can follow the latest guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. Tumor biopsy and resection seems the treatment of first choice, combined with comprehensive treatment including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and endocrine therapy.

Male Accessory Breast Cancer Successfully Treated With Single-Agent Trastuzumab: A Case Report

“…Recently, some scholars have also conducted a systematic analysis of the treatment of male breast cancer. They concluded that at present, male parabreast cancer is mainly treated by surgical resection, supplemented with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, endocrine therapy, and other comprehensive treatments (Pang et al, 2021). There is no report on the use of trastuzumab monotherapy in metastatic male accessory breast cancer and its effect until 2022.…”

Male triple negative axillary accessory breast cancer—a case report

“…A United States study showed male triple-negative breast cancer accounted for 5.5% of the male breast cancer (6), while Pang reported the incidence rate of accessory breast cancer is 0.3-0.6% of all the breast cancer (7). Given that majority of male axillary accessory breast degenerate, there are few cases of male axillary accessory breast (8).…”

First report of bilateral synchronous male accessory breast cancer

“…As the disease progresses, patients usually seek consultation with the complaint of pain, reddish or purplish skin and swelling. Pang et al summarised that most of the 16 patients identified with male accessory breast cancer globally were Asian, with invasive ductal carcinoma as the most common pathological diagnosis 4. The presenting case is an elderly man, with a main complaint of reddish rash and a painless mass in the left axillary region for 3 years.…”

“…Accessory breasts present when the superfluous glands do not degenerate or degenerate incompletely. The development of malignant transformation is very rare in male accessory breasts, with 16 case reports summarised globally 4. No instances of bilateral synchronous accessory breast cancer in a male patient have been reported throughout the world.…”