An elderly man with carcinoma of the breast was found to have a benign interstitial-cell tumor of the testis. His karyotype was XXY, and his urinary excretion of estriol was increased. It is concluded that the abnormal hormonal environment in the man with Klinefelter's syndrome may cause the development of both testicular interstitial-cell tumor and of breast cancer. Chromosome and hormone studies of men with these neoplasms, and complete clinical examination of patients with Klinefelter's syndrome are desirable.
HERE IS A HIGH INCIDENCE OF BREAST CAN-
T cer in men with Klinefelter's syndrome.l3
It has been suggested that the raised level of circulating estrogen in these men may have contributed to the development of carcinoma in the breast. Reported here is a case of an elderly man with breast carcinoma who was found to have an interstitial-cell tumor of the testis, with a raised urinary excretion of estriol, and to be of XXY karyotype. We believe that these findings are interrelated and discuss the possible nature of the relationship.
CASE REPORT
The patient, born in 1894, had a complex medical history. There was no history of childhood illness, but he had suffered from chronic chest disease from the age of 32.
There was a history of a peptic ulcer (I perforated) in 1926, and, in 1944, he was found to have achlorhydria and a gastric ulcer, for which a partial gastrectomy was performed. In 1957, he developed an Escherichia coli urinary infection; in 1958, part of a submaxillary salivary gland was excised (and reported to show chronic inflammation), and, in 1960, a calculus was found and removed from the residual gland.