Clinicopathological catalogue of male breast diseases

Abstract

Background: Though relatively uncommon compared to diseases of the female breast, diseases of the male breast do occur, but are poorly studied. These range from benign lesions to malignant disease. The purpose of this study was to enumerate the various disorders of the male breast encountered in our practice, so as to develop a better understanding of the clinicopathological profile of these conditions.Methods: This was a retrospective study conducted in the Department of Surgery, KIMS Hospital, Bangalore, from September 2017 to September 2018. Male patients treated for disorders of the breast were included in the study. The clinical profile of the patients and the disease conditions were studied.Results: 21 patients were included in the study. The most common presentation was due to swelling, pain or lump in the breast. The most commonly encountered condition was gynaecomastia (66.66%). Primary malignancy of the breast was encountered in 2 cases.Conclusions: The male breast is subjected to various disease conditions. Most presentations are due to aesthetic defects. Rarely, primary malignancy can develop in the male breast. The breast is an often-neglected part of the male anatomy, and hence patients often present late with complications.