J Breast Cancer.  2019 Mar;22(1):141-148. 10.4048/jbc.2019.22.e2.

Durable Response of Androgen Receptor-Positive Male Breast Cancer to Goserelin

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Clinical Oncology, Kasr Alainy School of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. Loay.kassem@cairocure.com
  • 2Department of Clinical Oncology, Cairo Oncology Center, Cairo, Egypt.
  • 3Department of Pathology, Kasr Alainy School of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.

Abstract

The luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone/androgen receptor (LHRH/AR) pathway is a promising treatment target in a subgroup of female patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, very little is known about the efficacy of this strategy in male patients with TNBC. In this report, we describe a male patient with AR-positive TNBC who was successfully treated using an LHRH agonist after pretreatment with several lines of chemotherapy and achieved a durable response. We also review the existing evidence supporting LHRH- and AR-targeted therapy for this rare disease.

Keyword

Luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone; Androgen receptor; Triple-negative breast neoplasms

MeSH Terms

Breast Neoplasms, Male*
Drug Therapy
Female
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
Goserelin*
Humans
Lutein
Male
Male*
Rare Diseases
Receptors, Androgen
Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
Goserelin
Lutein
Receptors, Androgen

Figure

  • Figure 1 Microscopic findings. (A) H&E staining indicates an invasive ductal carcinoma. Metastatic skin nodule showing dermal infiltration by cancer cells with eccentric hyperchromatic nuclei (arrow) (×400). (B) IHC reveals GATA 3 positivity and AR positivity. Tumor cells show positive GATA 3 nuclear stain with moderate to strong intensity (×400). (C) One hundred percent of tumor cells are strongly positive for AR (×400). H&E = hematoxylin and eosin; IHC = immunohistochemistry; AR = androgen receptor; GATA 3 = GATA binding protein 3.

  • Figure 2 Serial PET/CT scans at the initiation of anti-androgen therapy and during the subsequent year. (A) Sagittal (B) Coronal sections. PET/CT = positron emission tomography/computed tomography.

  • Figure 3 Graphical plotting of serial CA 15-3 measurements at the initiation of anti-androgen therapy and during the subsequent year. CA = cancer antigen.


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