Gynaecomastia

Gynaecomastia is the excessive development of mammary glands in men, which is often distressing.

This relatively common disorder (it affects fifty per cent of elderly men) may be due to different diseases which share a defect in androgen/oestrogen hormone balance (through a fall in the action of testosterone or increase in the action of oestrogens):

• obesity ;
• breast cancer ;
• testicular cancer;
• a hormonal problem.

Treatment firstly involves correcting the hormone defect by treating its cause. If this is not found or if it is not possible to treat it, treatments such as tamoxifen or testosterone can be effective. Once it has been present for a long time, gynaecomastia can only be treated surgically.