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Purpose: Increasing life expectancy is leading to a growing number of older women with breast cancer. We analyzed the tumor stage at the time of diagnosis and the treatment modalities in older versus younger patients. Subjects and Methods: The diagnostic and therapeutic data of 846 women with breast cancer were retrospectively reviewed. All women underwent therapy at the Freiburg University Medical Center. TNM-stage, grading and hormone receptor status, as well as surgery and adjuvant treatment modalities were evaluated. Women older than 69 years of age were classified as older women. Results: At the time of diagnosis 184 (21.4%) women were older than 69 years. These patients had a significantly higher local tumor stage (> T1: 58.7 vs. 47.1%). However, lymph node status did not differ significantly in invasive breast cancer patients (N0: 51.6 vs. 55.8%). Breast cancers in older women were slightly more often hormone sensitive but significantly better differentiated (68.5 vs. 63.3 %, p = 0.193, G1/2: 71.0 vs. 57.5%, p = 0.043, respectively). Mastectomies without reconstruction were performed more often in older than in younger women (61.2 vs. 28.1 %, p < 0.001). Adjuvant radiation therapy after breast conservation was omitted more frequently in older women (25.0 vs. 8.3%, p < 0.001). Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered significantly more often to younger women, whereas older women were more frequently treated with adjuvant hormone therapy. Conclusion: The breast cancer treatment of elderly women was significantly different from that of younger women in our study. The differences were not only due to different tumor stages at the time of diagnosis but also to age-dependent modifications of therapeutic management.

Objective: The diagnostic work-up of infertile men includes semen analysis and endocrine studies. Approximately 4% of infertile men have hyperprolactinernia. We noticed that the rate of hyperprolactinernia in our male infertility clinic increased from 4-5% to 12-18% in a 6-month period when blood samples were obtained after rather than before semen samples. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of ejaculation on serum hormone concentrations. Methods: Blood samples were obtained before and 5-10 min. after ejaculation from 88 men attending our male infertility clinic. Serum levels of LH, FSH, testosterone, prolactin, cortisol, TSH, triiodothyronine and thyroxine were measured Results: Forty-eight (55%) of the men showed an increase of ≥ 25% in prolactin levels and 14 (16%) had hyperprolactinemia (>450 mIU/L). The mean prolactin level increased from 212 ± 14 to 336 ± 13 mIU/L. There were no significant changes in the levels of the other hormones. Conclusion: Ejaculation can lead to a significant increase in serum prolactin levels. This should be considered when interpreting and planning the timing of blood sampling.

Objective: We prospectively studied the effect of recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in men with normogonadotropic oligoasthenoteratospermia. Methods: A total of 44 men with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratospermia (sperm concentration < 20 ×10 6 /mL, progressive motility < 50%, normal forms < 30%) received 75 IU of recombinant FSH daily for 6 weeks. Semen analysis was performed 2 weeks after the completion of treatment. The treated men were compared with 44 men with idiopathic oligoasthenoteratospermia who were observed without treatment for 6-8 weeks after initial diagnosis. The mean duration of infertility was 57 months (range, 12-193) in the treatment group and 61 months (range, 29-118) in the control group. At baseline there were no significant differences between the two groups in mean sperm concentration (5.5 × 10 6 vs. 5.1 × 10 6 /mL, respectively), progressive motility (20% vs. 31%, respectively), or normal morphology (8.9% vs. 15%). Results: Sperm concentration increased both in the treatment and in the control group (9.1 ×10 6 and 10.7 × 10 6 /mL). The other parameters were unchanged. Conclusion; Treatment of normogonadotropic oligoasthenoteratospermia with FSH at a dose of 75 IU/day for 6 weeks did not influence semen parameters.