Tamoxifen-failed male breast cancer with a high level of circulating estrogen: report of a case.

Abstract

We report herein the case of a 40-year-old man with grade II invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast (pT1, pN0, M0: stage I) in whom a recurrence developed shortly after completion of a 2-year course of tamoxifen and 5-fluorouracil therapy following a mastectomy. Although the metastatic tumor was estrogen receptor-positive, hormone therapy combined with chemotherapy had no significant effect on tumor growth, and the patient died from disseminated tumors 2 years 6 months after completion of the adjuvant therapy. It is noteworthy that the circulating estradiol level increased from 18.0 to 892.3 pg/ml during the period of tumor progression and dissemination. We interpret these findings as an indication of high aromatase activity in the metastatic tumors. We suggest that extending tamoxifen treatment to 5 years or longer be recommended for the standard adjuvant hormone therapy of male breast cancer to prevent the early recurrence of hormone-responsive disease.

• Authors: H Takei, Y Iino, J Horiguchi, M Maemura, Y Koibuchi, T Yokoe, Y Morishita, V C Jordan
• Journal: Surgery today (Surg Today) Vol. 31 Issue 2 Pg. 149-51 ( 2001) ISSN: 0941-1291 [Print] Japan
• PMID: 11291709 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
• Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal
• Tamoxifen
• Estradiol
• Fluorouracil

Topics

• Adult
• Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic (therapeutic use)
• Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Breast Neoplasms, Male (drug therapy, pathology, surgery)
• Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast (drug therapy, pathology, surgery)
• Drug Administration Schedule
• Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Estradiol (blood)
• Fatal Outcome
• Fluorouracil (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Male
• Neoplasm Recurrence, Local
• Tamoxifen (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Time Factors