Ultrasonographic findings in young men with breast masses: Changes in adolescence and young adulthood

Abstract

Aim: Gynecomastia is defined as an increase in the stromal and ductal components of the male breast due to an imbalance between the effects of free estrogen and testosterone which affects adolescents commonly. The aim of this study is to determine the causes of breast masses in young males and adolescents and to test the hypothesis that gynecomastia will be smaller and less frequent in adult males than adolescents due to the regulation of hormone levels after adolescence. Methods: Breast ultrasound imaging studies between January 2014 and October 2019 were reviewed and a total of 345 male patients between 9-20 and 21-35 years of age were included in the study. Lesions were classified as normal male breast appearance, unilateral gynecomastia, bilateral gynecomastia, increased subcutaneous-adipose tissue (pseudogynecomastia), lipoma, suspicious lesion, and other benign findings as infection. Sizes of fibroglandular tissue were reported and compared between age groups. Statistical analysis of lesion types and patient groups was performed by the Chi-square test. Patient age and gynecomastia status were analyzed by Student’s t-test. Patient age and size of gynecomastia were compared by the Spearman correlation test. Results: Two hundred and eight young males and 137 adolescents formed the study group. Sixty percent of the adults and 77.6% of the adolescents had gynecomastia. The second most common pathology was pseudogynecomastia in 17% of the young adults and, 12% of the adolescents. One suspicious lesion was found in the adult group and the pathology revealed gynecomastia. Gynecomastia was found to be more common in the adolescent group (P

Keywords

• Adolescence
• breast ultrasound
• gynecomastia
• male breast