Male breast cancer with mandibular metastasis. A case report.

Female breast cancer is one of the major causes of death among women while male breast cancer is relatively uncommon and accounts for about 1% of all breast cancers in both sexes. Influencing factors are: gynecomasty, familiarity for male breast cancer, Jewish and African-American male population. From the histological point of view, it is not different from the female breast cancer, except for the infiltrant ductal carcinoma, but with a much severe prognosis. Breast cancer metastases to the jaws are rare, only 1%; the most common sites of metastases are: lungs(59-69%), liver (58-65%), bone (44-71%), pleura (23-37%), brain (9-22%) and kidney (4-17%). At present, based on a literature research (May 2006), there have been just two other case reports of male breast cancer metastasis to the maxillofacial region, both to the mandible. The case of a 69-year-old white man who in 2001 underwent a radical mastectomy due to ductal breast cancer is reported. In 2005 the patient was referred to our department by his oncologist for multiple oral fistula. A mandibular TC revealed osteolytic lesions and the patient underwent mandibular surgery to remove the lesions and clean up the area. The histological examination was consistent with that of a metastatic deposit of adenocarcinoma of the breast. In June 2006 the patient died due to worsening of the general clinical conditions, in particular due to ascites and hepatic insufficiency.

[Reconstruction of extensive mandibular defects with the use of Osteo-Mesh and a bone graft. A preliminary report]. / La ricostruzione degli ampi difetti mandibolari con l'uso di Osteo-Mesh ed innesto d'osso. Rapporto preliminare.

In the reconstruction of extensive bone defects of the facial skeleton, bone grafts are taken for granted even though the handling and stress such grafts are subjected to do not always guarantee the functional and aesthetic result. The use of a special kind of prosthesis (osteo-mesh) consisting of the synthesis of two biocompatible substances (polyurethane and dacron) with bone graft, preferably iliac spongiosa, is suggested by the preliminary experience of the Authors, as a good solution for the achievement of a satisfactory result.