Male breast cancer in the twenty-first century: what's new?

Male breast cancer is an uncommon disease although the incidence has increased over the past 25 years. As with many other rare "orphan" diseases, male breast cancer is understudied. The rarity of the disease precludes prospective randomized clinical trials. In addition, few researchers and minimal funding have focused on breast cancer in men, but further work is clearly needed to better understand this disease. It shares many similarities with breast cancer in women; yet some clear differences have emerged. In this article, the latest information on the epidemiology, biology, and treatment of male breast cancer is reviewed.