Gynecomastia: Its incidence, recognition and host characterization in 447 autopsy cases

doi:10.1016/0002-9343(63)90044-5

The American Journal of Medicine

Volume 34, Issue 1, January 1963, Pages 103-112

https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9343(63)90044-5 Get rights and content

Abstract

Gynecomastia was found in 40 per cent of an unselected autopsy series consisting of 447 cases. The hyperplastic breasts were classified as either gynecomastia type I (florid) or gynecomastia type II (quiescent, fibrous). Since the breasts were grossly enlarged in just four patients, the high incidence was demonstrated only as a result of routine histologic examination.

There was a significant association between gynecomastia and certain prostatic and testicular abnormalities, adrenocortical hyperplasia, thyroid changes, pancreatic islet and pancreatic duct hyperplasia, cirrhosis of the liver and diabetes mellitus. The incidence of untreated prostatic carcinoma was significant in patients with gynecomastia. No association was detected between gynecomastia and chronic lung disease, lung cancer as a whole, chronic renal disease, paraplegia, emaciation or drug administration.

The findings indicate that gynecomastia occurs in men with endocrine imbalance and suggest estrogenic preponderance. It should not be attributed readily to non-hormonal diseases. The suggestion is advanced that endocrine investigation in adult men include a biopsy of the breasts.

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Citation Excerpt :
It is a common condition with at least a third of men developing gynaecomastia during their lifetime. An incidence of up to 40% has been suggested in autopsy studies.1 Gynaecomastia can be local or diffuse, unilateral or bilateral, painful or painless.
The male breast encompasses a number of benign and malignant breast conditions. The commonest cause of male breast enlargement is gynaecomastia. This can be physiological, idiopathic or pathological. Male breast cancer (MBC) is a rare disease comprising less than 1% of all breast cancers. The commonest histology is grade 2 ductal no special type carcinoma. Unlike the female breast, papillary in situ and invasive carcinomas are not uncommon in the male breast. MBC is often of the luminal A phenotype, similar to the post menopausal female breast cancer. Here we review a range of benign and malignant lesions of the male breast with a special emphasis on the two most common lesions: gynaecomastia and MBC. We describe the risk factors, pathogenesis, diagnostic criteria and management of those lesions.
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^†: Present address: Veterans Administration, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Pathology and Allied Sciences Service, Washington, D.C.

¹: From the Laboratory Service, Veterans Administration Center, Temple, Texas.

View full text

ReviewGynecomastia: Its incidence, recognition and host characterization in 447 autopsy cases

Abstract

J. Urol.

Lancet

Gynecomastia associated with cirrhosis of the liver

Gynecomastia associated with lung cancer

J. A. M. A.

Gynecomastia

Arch. Surg.

Gynecomastia. A review of 218 cases

Cancer

Gynecomastia during hyperthyroidism

J. A. M. A.

Testicular morphology; histopathologic study with special reference to biopsy findings in hypogonadism with mainly endocrine disorders and in gynecomastia

Acta endocrinol.

Gynecomastia. The origins of mammary swellings in the male: an analysis of 406 patients with breast hypertrophy, 525 with testicular neoplasms, and 13 with adrenal neoplasms

Cancer

Gynecomastia: review and analysis of 160 cases

Ann. Int. Med.

Gynecomastia

Am. J. Path.

Gynecomastia in adolescent boys

J. A. M. A.

Histochemistry of breast diseases. I. Phosphatases

Arch. Path.

Nature of the periductal stroma in gynecomastia

Lab. Invest.

The diffuse adrenal disease in Cushing's disease. Histological observations on surgically removed adrenals of four cases

Am. J. Path.

Hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's disease): a study of surgically resected adrenal glands

Am. J. Path.

Testicular spermatogenic cell hypertrophy accompanying prostatic hypertrophy and cancer

Am. J. Path.

Atrophy and hyperplasia in the prostate proper

J. Path. & Bact.

Review
Gynecomastia: Its incidence, recognition and host characterization in 447 autopsy cases