[A case of loco-regional recurrence of carcinoma of the male breast]. / Su di un caso di recidiva loco-regionale di carcinoma della mammella maschile.

The case of a 47-year-old man surgically treated with Halsted mastectomy for breast cancer and submitted to Tamoxifen therapy for more than four years is reported. A loco-regional recurrence following withdrawal of oestrogen antagonist therapy was observed and surgically treated by local excision. Normal karyotype analysis of peripheral leucocytes, normal male phenotype of the patient, his height and the lack of family history for breast cancer, as well as a possible dysfunction of the endocrine system were considered in the aetiopathogenesis of the disease.

[Rare peritoneal tumors in the aged. Apropos of a case of Castleman's syndrome]. / Nell'ambito dei tumori rari retroperitoneali in età geriatrica. A proposito di un caso di sindrome di Castleman.

An unusual case is reported of the rare Castleman's disease localized in the retroperitoneal area in an elderly asymptomatic patient. A similar benign lymphoadenopathy of unknown etiology is generally found in the mediastinum and interests just one lymph-node that results abnormally hyperplastic. Histologically, most cases are of the hyaline-vascular type and much more rarely of the plasmacell variant. After a careful review of the literature the anatomical, pathological and clinical characteristics, the main etiopathogenetics hypotheses and diagnostic criteria are explained. The particular size of the neoformation is emphasized and also the impossibility to reach a correct preoperatory diagnosis owing to a suspect kidney parenchyma infiltration observed by RM. Also the intraoperatory report seemed to confirm the diagnostic hypothesis of a malign neoplasm infiltrating the lower pole of the kidney and which necessitated the total ablation of the retroperitoneal mass and left kidney. We concluded that the case which we have observed (the 32nd in world literature dealing with the retroperitoneal space) is not really comparable to those previously described by other authors. In fact the histopathological picture presents a series of ialino-vascular and plasmacell aspects which make any hypothesis of etiopathogenetic uncertain.

[The clinico-diagnostic and therapeutic considerations in carcinoma of the male breast]. / Considerazioni clinico-diagnostiche e terapeutiche nel carcinoma della mammella maschile.

Three cases of male breast cancer, observed during the last 10 years at the III Surgical Department of the University of Rome "La Sapienza", out of a total of 282 operations performed for mammary carcinoma are reported. In agreement to what reported in the literature the M/F ratio was 1:100. It is pointed out how male breast cancer compared to the female one, involves older subjects. Furthermore, since the disease in males reaches its most advanced stages quite rapidly a radical surgical treatment such as the traditional Halsted operation is mandatory. The prevalence of the histopathological form of invasive ductal carcinoma and the high frequency of intratumoral estradiol and progesterone receptors are confirmed. The latter in many cases allows for adjuvant hormonal therapy and represents, in association with polychemotherapy, a valid alternative to traditional endocrino-surgical therapy, both in terms of long term prognosis and quality of life.