Highlights
- •13% of men diagnosed with breast cancer are HER2 positive.
- •Men diagnosed with HER2 positive breast cancer had higher cancer-related mortality.
- •Men diagnosed with HER2 positive breast cancer had shorter overall survival.
- •Men diagnosed with HER2 positive breast cancer had a larger mean tumor size.
Abstract
Background
Research describing male breast cancer with HER2 overexpression is limited. This study
evaluated the characteristics, treatment, and outcomes of HER2 positive breast cancer
in men.
Methods
Information for January 2010 through December 2017 was obtained from the SEER Research
Plus database.
Results
Four hundred sixty-two men were HER2 positive (13%) of 3594 cases of breast cancer.
Compared to HER2 negative patients, these patients were younger at diagnosis (63 vs.
67 years, p < 0.001), had more poorly differentiated cancer (Grade III 53% vs. 33%,
p < 0.001), and larger tumor size (28.8 vs. 24.6 mm, p < 0.001). HER2 positive males
also had distant site and/or contralateral lymph node involvement more often (13%
vs. 7%, p < 0.001), had higher rate of cancer-related mortality (15% vs. 10%, p = 0.002),
and shorter overall survival (34 vs. 38 months, p = 0.004).
Conclusion
Men diagnosed with HER2 positive breast cancer had more advanced disease at diagnosis
and worse outcomes than HER2 negative men despite increased utilization of systemic
therapy.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 09, 2022
Accepted:
December 8,
2022
Received in revised form:
December 5,
2022
Received:
July 8,
2022
Publication stage
In Press Journal Pre-ProofIdentification
Copyright
© 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
