Quality of life of male breast cancer survivors: a systematic review

Introduction: Breast cancer treatments signifcantly infuence the quality of life of cancer survivors. While most studies havefocused on female breast cancer survivors, data on the quality of life of men who have undergone medical, surgical or radiologicaltreatments for breast cancer are limited. Objective: To evaluate the quality of life of male breast cancer survivors. Methods: A systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA statement with a search in four databases: PubMed,Embase, Cochrane and Web of Science. We screened and extracted data and assessed the methodological quality of the studies viathe Cochrane RoB-2 and ROBINS-I tools for randomised clinical trials and follow-up studies, respectively. Te data werepresented in a narrative synthesis format. Results: In total, 993 records were identifed, of which three studies were included for analysis: two randomised clinical trials andone cohort study. Te interventions in the randomised clinical trials involved evaluating the impact of endocrine therapy and theimplementation of online physical training. Although there was a reduction in the overall quality of life during cancer treatment,patients who received tamoxifen monotherapy did not report a clinically signifcant change in their sexual function. Additionally,moderate exercise was shown to improve physical health and enhance social well-being. In the cohort study, quality of life andsymptom burden were evaluated in men with breast cancer treated with endocrine therapies at the time of diagnosis via symptomassessment scales. Conclusions: Male breast cancer survivors experience a decrease in quality of life during and after treatment. While tamoxifenmonotherapy preserves sexual function, moderate-intensity physical rehabilitation signifcantly improves both quality of life andsocial functioning. Te limited number of studies included in this review highlights the need for further research to address thephysical, psychological and social needs of male breast cancer survivors.