Gynecomastia and Breast Cancer in Men: Are They Related?

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Men suffering gynecomastia should not panic really panic because the chances of getting breast cancer is very small.

One of the common concerns that men have when they see their breasts growing in size and palpate a lump underneath is whether it is just gynecomastia or is it breast cancer?

This is actually a good question and no you are not overreacting, because you can never be too careful especially when you observe your body showing unusual characteristics.

Gynecomastia is a condition that is mainly caused by a marked imbalance of your hormones. The two hormones involved here are testosterone and estrogen. You might wonder you have a female hormone in your system but this is actually normal. Every male have minute amounts of estrogen in the body, just as females also possess some amounts of testosterone.

When the ratio of testosterone to estrogen goes out of whack, with the latter increasing in amounts in your system, gynecomastia eventually occurs. This affects 35 to 40 percent of males at any point in time in their lives; from newborns to elderly. But it is right to know that this condition is noncancerous. The breast tissues that proliferate in excess amounts are actually benign.

However on the subject on whether it is linked to breast cancer, the Mayo Clinic states that this breast enlargement in males may slightly increase their risk to breast cancer. But those who have gynecomastia should not panic because the chances of breast cancer from developing out of this condition is very small.

In a related research done by Olsson et.al., (2005), they concluded that there is a significant risk for squamous cell carcinoma and testicular cancer in males who were operated for gynecomastia.

Other factors that increase a male’s risk to breast cancer are a genetic predisposition or a strong family history and those who are of Jewish origin. But you can always have this checked by the doctor to see if it is plainly hormonal and can relieve on its own, or if it is showing signs of malignancy.

That is why men are also advised to perform self-breast examination (SBE). Although rare with a total of 400 cases of mortality each year, it can highly be avoided through early detection.

Whether or not you are experiencing gynecomastia, regularly perform SBE to check for lumps and irregularities. Sometimes breast masses that are cancerous are not always palpable that is why if you are anxious that your gynecomastia lump might be malignant it is always the best option to be consulted by a doctor. In that way you can get proper breast examination through an ultrasound or a diagnostic mammogram to properly evaluate any growth.

Palpation techniques and massages will also help you determine if what you actually have is actually gynecomastia or psuedogynecomastia. The latter is something that is much less serious because this is simply the proliferation of fatty tissues in your chest. Other lumps that you would probably appreciate could be cysts, blood collection or fatty tumors.

If you have any concerns about gynecomastia it is always best that you get yourself evaluated by a doctor. Through this you can also get proper blood workup to see if your gynecomastia is also triggered by other underlying conditions, which you should actually worry about. 

Sources and Citation

Olsson, H. et.al (2002). Male Gynecomastia and Risk for Malignant Tumours – A Cohort Study. BioMed Central Cancer. Retrieved from www.biomedcentral.com

Gynaecomastia and breast cancer in men

Catherine B Niewoehner, Anna E Schorer

BMJ. 2008 March 29; 336(7646): 709–713. doi: 10.1136/bmj.39511.493391.BE

PMCID: PMC2276281. Retrieve from www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov