What is the outcome (prognosis) of male breast cancer?
The prognosis of a patient with male breast cancer is considered similarly to breast cancer in a woman. Overall survival rates for each tumor stage are similar for men and women. Since men have less breast tissue than women, it is more common for breast cancers in men to have spread beyond the breast when they are identified, resulting in a more advanced tumor stage at diagnosis. Five-year survival rates (meaning the percentage of patients who live for at least five years following diagnosis) reported for male breast cancer by stage are: • Stage 0 – 100% • Stage I – 96% • Stage II – 84% • Stage III – 52% • Stage IV – 24% These survival rates were calculated using historical data, and it is likely that current treatments will lead to even greater survival rates for those recently diagnosed.
