Subjects were given either tamoxifen or placebo for 2 to 4 months and then … The doctor will also do a physical examination that may include careful evaluation of your breast tissue, abdomen and genitals.Initial tests to determine the cause of your gynecomastia may include:You may need further testing depending on your initial test results, including:Your doctor will want to be sure your breast swelling is gynecomastia and not another condition. Unable to load your delegates due to an error We have evaluated the efficacy of the antiestrogen tamoxifen in six men with painful idiopathic gynecomastia. 2003;23(3):205-15. doi: 10.2165/00044011-200323030-00006.BMC Med. Resolution of gynecomastia and breast pain occurred in 65.4% of patients in the tamoxifen group, 71.8% of patients in the placebo group (who received tamoxifen… Treatment of gynecomastia with tamoxifen: a double-blind crossover study. Pain reduction with tamoxifen therapy was statistically significant for the group, occurring in five of six subjects during tamoxifen treatment and in only one of six during the placebo period. 2014 Mar;18(2):150-8. doi: 10.4103/2230-8210.129104.Leibovitch I, Gillatt D, Hopwood P, Iversen P, Mansel RE, McLeod D, Vela-Navarrete R, Richaud P, See W, Tyrrell C, Wirth M.Clin Drug Investig. Less than 5% of men withdrew from tamoxifen therapy because of toxicity. Other conditions that can cause similar symptoms include:Most cases of gynecomastia resolve over time without treatment. This was once a common treatment for breast cancer in men, but it is now used less often because of new non-surgical approaches to lowering androgen levels, such as the LHRH analogs. A breast abscess. It can also be useful to stop or reverse a condition called gynecomastia, where … 2009;69(13):1739-60. doi: 10.2165/11316390-000000000-00000. © 1998-2020 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Gynecomastia often goes away without treatment in less than two years.Treatment may be necessary if gynecomastia doesn't improve on its own or if it causes significant pain, tenderness or embarrassment.Medications used to treat breast cancer and other conditions may be helpful for some men with gynecomastia. It more commonly involves both breasts but can occur in only one breast. A. Pasbjerg Last Modified Date: August 17, 2020 . "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.org," "Mayo Clinic Healthy Living," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Benign asymptomatic or painful enlargement of the male breast is a common problem, postulated to be due to an increased estrogen/testosterone ration or due to increased estrogenic or decreased androgenic stimulation via estrogen or androgen receptor interactions. Please enable it to take advantage of the complete set of features! Therefore, antiestrogenic treatment with tamoxifen may represent a safe and effective mode of treatment for selected cases of cosmetically disturbing or painful gynecomastia. 2000;4(1):24-30. doi: 10.1007/s11916-000-0006-6. 2003;23(3):205-15. doi: 10.2165/00044011-200323030-00006.Drugs. Clipboard, Search History, and several other advanced features are temporarily unavailable. The reduction of breast size was partial and may indicate the need for a longer course of therapy. Epub 2016 May 6.Acta Biomed. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. 2017 Aug 23;88(2):204-213. doi: 10.23750/abm.v88i2.6665.Leibovitch I, Gillatt D, Hopwood P, Iversen P, Mansel RE, McLeod D, Vela-Navarrete R, Richaud P, See W, Tyrrell C, Wirth M.Clin Drug Investig. 2009;69(13):1739-60. doi: 10.2165/11316390-000000000-00000.BMJ. Gynecomastia is a common adverse effect of bicalutamide (Casodex) therapy that may prompt some men to discontinue prostate cancer treatment. COVID-19 is an emerging, rapidly evolving situation. Radiation therapy — Treating the breasts with radiation before antiandrogen treatment begins can prevent gynecomastia in some men. The theory for guys is similar.