Evolving surgical treatment decisions for male breast cancer: an analysis of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database

Background

Male breast cancer (MBC) is a rare malignancy, and gender-specific treatment outcomes are currently lacking. The use of a large, multi-national surgical-outcomes database may provide a better understanding of treatment patterns and postoperative morbidity in men who undergo oncological breast surgery.

Methods

A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted between 2007 and 2016 using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database (NSQIP), examining MBC treatment patterns and postoperative complication rates. All men undergoing surgery for the treatment of invasive or in situ carcinoma of the breast were identified. Clinical characteristics, demographics, and surgical treatment options most frequently used for this population were described. In addition, the 30-day postoperative complication rates in the surgical treatment of male breast cancer were evaluated.

Results

A total of 1773 MBC patients with a median age of 65 years (IQR 56–74 years) were included in this analysis. Mean body mass index (BMI) was 29.1 (IQR 25.4–33.8). In this study population, 177 (10.0%) had a diagnosis of in situ breast cancer, while the remaining 1596 (90.0%) had invasive disease. While most men underwent mastectomy, 282 (15.9%) had breast-conserving surgery. There were 74 (4.2%) patients who underwent immediate breast reconstruction. In addition, 118 (6.7%) patients elected to have a contralateral prophylactic mastectomy. Overall, the rate of morbidity was 4.6%, comprising mostly of wound complications (3.2%).

Conclusion

Analysis of this large, prospective multi-institutional cohort revealed that complication rates are low and comparable to reported rates in the female breast cancer population. What is also significant about this analysis is that the cohort demonstrated the importance of cosmetic considerations in MBC patients, as some men decide to undergo breast-conserving surgery or immediate breast reconstruction. Contralateral prophylactic mastectomy in the treatment of MBC is also performed.

     

Facial and bilateral acral porokeratosis with nail dystrophy: A case report

Porokeratosis is a rare disorder of keratinization with unknown etiology. It exhibits both sporadic and autosomal dominant inheritance. The lesions are sharply demarcated, hyperkeratotic, and annular with distinct keratotic edges. The cornoid lamella is the histological hallmark of porokeratosis. Porokeratosis lesions on the face may have a superficial or a destructive nature. To our knowledge there are only a few cases of facial porokeratosis that have been reported. We report a sporadic form of facial and bilateral acral porokeratosis with nail dystrophy.     

Pemphigus foliaceus

Pemphigus foliaceus is an autoimmune blistering disease, which affects the skin but rarely affects the mucosae. There are two variants of pemphigus foliaceus : endemic and sporadic. Erythroderma due to pemphigus foliaceus is unusual and its occurrence in a child is very rare. We describe a case of erythrodermic pemphigus foliaceus in a 12- year- old boy.     

Human identity versus gender identity: The perception of sexual addiction among Iranian women

This qualitative study was conducted to explore the images of personal identity from the perspective of women with sexual addiction. The data required for the study were collected through 31 in-depth interviews. Sensing a threat to personal identity, dissatisfaction with gender identity, dissociation with the continuum of identity, and identity reconstruction in response to threat were four of the experiences that were common among women with sexual addiction. Painful emotional experiences appear to have created a sense of gender and sexual conflict or weakness in these women and thus threatened their personal identity and led to their sexual addiction.