Background: Male breast cancer (MBC) is a rare disease for which no randomised controlled trials (RCT) have been conducted to determine optimal surgical management. The available data have been reviewed to identify reasonable options and reveal areas in need of investigation.
Methods: All published series on the surgical management of MBC have been reviewed to determine approaches to treatment of the primary, the breast and the axilla together with the psychological sequelae of surgery.
Findings: Mastectomy is still the major surgical offer but a convincing case can be made for the use of neoadjuvant endocrine treatment in order to facilitate breast conserving surgery. Sentinel node biopsy has been successfully used for staging MBC although nomograms for prediction of nodal status are inadequately calibrated. There are psychological sequelae of mastectomy in males and as yet no evidence that the needs of those with MBC are being met.
Conclusions: Collaborative studies are required so that men can participate in meaningful RCTs to provide an evidence-based rational foundation for the surgery of MBC.
Keywords: Breast conservation; Male breast cancer; Mastectomy; Neoadjuvant endocrine; Reconstruction; Sentinel node biopsy.