The histopathological effects of tamoxifen in the treatment of pubertal gynecomastia

Abstract

Pubertal gynecomastia is the glandular proliferation of male breast tissue. It is regarded as a physiological phenomenon, arising due to a presumed transient imbalance in the ratio of free androgen to free estrogen. Treatment with tamoxifen, a selective estrogen receptor blocker, has been shown to effectively reduce the disc size and is generally considered for treatment when the disc diameter is > 3-4 cm. For severe or persistent cases, surgery is considered the mainstay of treatment. We present three cases who reported dissatisfaction with the results of tamoxifen treatment and were therefore submitted to adenectomy by Webster's technique preceded by liposuction. Pathology results showed adipose tissue alone, with no evidence of intraductal epithelial proliferation. The results showing a lack of residual glandular breast tissue after treatment using tamoxifen proves that it is effective in histopathologically eliminating pubertal gynecomastia.