Recurrent Male Breast Cancer Accompanied by Carcinomatous Pleuritis That Responded to Combination Therapy with High-Dose Toremifene and Docetaxel

BACKGROUND: Male breast cancer (MBC) is a rare disease with no standard treatment compared to female breast cancer. There are very few reports that go beyond second-line chemotherapy and endocrine therapy for advanced and recurrent MBC. CASE REPORT: This report presents a case of recurrent MBC accompanied by carcinomatous pleuritis that responded to combination therapy with high-dose toremifene (TOR) and docetaxel (DOC). A 63-year-old male patient had previously undergone a modified radical mastectomy for left breast cancer and received several series of systemic chemotherapy and endocrine therapy. He complained of severe dyspnea, and was admitted to our hospital due to a massive left pleural effusion caused by carcinomatous pleuritis. He received combination therapy with high-dose TOR and biweekly DOC. The pleural effusion disappeared without any severe side effects after 4 cycles of the therapy. Thereafter, his disease stabilized for 1 year without re-increase of tumor markers under continuous treatment with the combination therapy. CONCLUSIONS: High-dose TOR and DOC might be effective even beyond second-line chemotherapy and endocrine therapy for MBC to overcome potential multiple drug resistance and diminish inevitable side effects.