Hyderabad, April 14: Male breast cancer, though rare, is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage, highlighting the urgent need for greater awareness and earlier detection, according to a new study conducted at ESIC Medical College and Hospital, Hyderabad.
Published in the Journal of the Association of Physicians of India, the retrospective study analysed 15 male breast cancer patients treated between 2019 and 2025 at the tertiary care centre in South India. Researchers examined clinical presentation, biomarker profile, treatment patterns and outcomes.
The study found that the average age of patients was 60 years, with cases ranging from 31 to 74 years. The median delay between symptom onset and diagnosis was six months, suggesting that many patients seek medical help only after symptoms worsen.
All patients presented with a breast lump, most commonly behind the nipple area. Several also had nipple retraction, skin thickening or ulceration. Four patients had additional symptoms such as cough, breathlessness, bone pain, fatigue or weight loss.
A significant majority were diagnosed late. While only two patients had early-stage disease, nine were in Stage III and four were already in Stage IV at the time of diagnosis. This means nearly 87 per cent had locally advanced or metastatic cancer when first evaluated.
Pathology reports showed that all patients had invasive ductal carcinoma. Hormone receptor positivity was seen in 80 per cent of cases, while 40 per cent were HER2 positive. Researchers also noted a triple-positive subtype in 26.7 per cent of patients.
Treatment was tailored based on disease stage and tumour biology. Around 86.7 per cent of patients underwent surgery, mainly modified radical mastectomy. Hormone therapy was given to eligible patients, while HER2-targeted treatment and newer CDK4/6 inhibitors were used in selected advanced cases.
At the last follow-up, nine patients were alive with disease under control. Two patients died due to disease progression, while four were lost to follow-up.
The authors concluded that male breast cancer remains under-recognised and often reaches hospitals too late. They called for awareness campaigns, earlier diagnosis and better access to targeted therapies in India.
