Ki67 as a prognostic factor in male breast cancer (male BC): Results from a large GEICAM Spanish cohort of male BC.
Authors: Urruticoechea Ander , Martinez Purificacion , Hernando Cristina , Recalde Sabela , Sanchez Munoz Alfonso , Morales David , Santisteban Marta , Fernández Isaura , Del Barco Sonia , Zamora Esther , Iranzo Vega , Martos Tamara , Martinez Eduardo , Antolín Novoa Silvia , Modolell Alfonso , Garcia Alonso Mirta , García Elisa , Bueso Pilar , Llobera Montserrat , Martinez-Jañez Noelia 
Published: May 2024

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Background: Male BC management is based, by default, on evidence produced from female BC. There is a high need to validate gender specific performance of established prognostic biomarkers. We present here descriptive results from a large, country specific, registry of Male BC. Methods: GEICAM/2016-04 (NCT03800355) is a retrospective, observational study including Male BC pts diagnosed from 2000 to 2019 in 51 Spanish sites. Data from BC diagnosis until 10-Mar-2020 was collected from medical charts; biological specimens were obtained. Pts and tumors characteristics, therapies, and outcomes were analyzed. Molecular subtypes were categorized as hormonal receptor positive (HR+)/HER2 negative (HER2−), triple negative (TN) (HR−/HER2−), and HER2+ (any HR). Results: 773 pts were analyzed, at first diagnosis, 721 (93%) had early BC (EBC) (stages I [28%], II [41%], III [21%]), and 52 (7%) de novo metastatic BC; median age was 66 (23-96) years; median body mass index was 28 (18-50) Kg/m2 (overweight), with obesity in 4% as prior medical history. Previous history of other cancers: 20 (3%) pts were diagnosed with prostate cancer (PC) and 20 (3%) pts with skin cancer (melanoma and non-melanoma). BC family history was reported in 212 (35%) pts, 56 (9%) PC, and 35 (6%) ovarian cancer. Germline genetic testing for hereditary risk was performed in 238 (31%) pts, with BRCA1/2 mutations present in 46 (19%) pts (BRCA1 in 6, BRCA2 in 39, and both in 1); BRCA1/2 mutations were observed in 9 (33%) HER2+ pts and 32 (18%) HR+/HER2− pts. Of EBC pts, 322 (45%) were node-positive, 274 (38%) had T2 tumors; 4% had breast conserving surgery, and 42% sentinel lymph node biopsy; 42% received adjuvant radiation therapy; 336 (47%) adjuvant and 44 (6%) neoadjuvant chemotherapy, 609 (84%) adjuvant endocrine therapy, mainly tamoxifen (72%); and 6% pts did not receive any systemic therapy. Morphologically, invasive carcinoma of no special type was reported in 89% pts, and 52% were grade 2. Per local pathological assessment, 97% estrogen receptor positive (ER+), 90% progesterone receptor positive (PgR+), 84% androgen receptor positive; 51% presented Ki67 index expression ≥20%, and 11% HER2+. Frequency according to molecular subtype: 599 (77%) HR+/HER2−, 75 (10%) HER2+, 6 (1%) TN, and 93 (12%) unknown. With a median follow-up of 64 months, medians of invasive disease-free survival (iDFS) and distant DFS (dDFS) were not statistically different in HR+/HER2− vs HER2+ pts and according to levels of Ki67 index expression (<20% vs. ≥20%). In a Cox multivariate model, stage I-II vs III and age were statistically significant (p<0.05) for both iDFS and dDFS. Conclusions: HR+/HER2− is the most common Male BC subtype, with ER and PgR highly positive, and 20% as median Ki67 index. No statistically significant differences were observed in terms of iDFS and dDFS based on level of Ki67 index expression. Clinical trial information: NCT03800355 .