Elucidating encounters of atypical ductal hyperplasia arising in gynaecomastia

A rare case of intraductal papilloma with atypical ductal hyperplasia in a male breast: A pathological diagnosis

Male breast cancer is itself a very rare condition and represents 0.5%–1% of all breast cancers diagnosed. Atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), intraductal papilloma (IP), and ductal carcinoma in situ are also very rare in a male breast. Only a few cases of ADH with gynecomastia have been reported in English literature until now. Here, we report a rare case of an IP with ADH associated with gynecomastia in an elderly male, who complained of right nipple pain, discharge, and tiny retroareolar mass. Mammography showed a subareolar nodule graded as the Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System 4B. It is difficult to differentiate, both clinically and radiologically, between benign and malignant papillary lesions and invasive carcinoma, because of the similarity of findings. Hence, any male with palpable unilateral hard fixed lesions in the retroareolar region with complaints of nipple discharge, skin changes, or axillary lymphadenopathy should have a histopathological evaluation.

Atypical ductal hyperplasia in men with gynecomastia: what is their breast cancer risk?

PURPOSE

Atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) significantly increases the risk of breast cancer in women. However, little is known about the implications of ADH in men.

METHODS

Review of 932 males with breast pathology was performed to identify cases of ADH. Patients were excluded if ADH was upgraded to cancer on excision, or if they had contralateral breast cancer. Cases were reviewed to determine whether any male with ADH developed breast cancer.

RESULTS

Nineteen males were diagnosed with ADH from June 2003 to September 2018. All had gynecomastia. Surgical procedure was mastectomy in 8 patients and excision/reduction in 11. One patient had their nipple areola complex removed, and 1 required a free nipple graft. Median patient age at ADH diagnosis was 25 years (range 18-72 years). Of the 14 patients with bilateral gynecomastia, 10 had bilateral ADH and 4 had unilateral. Five cases of ADH were described as severe, bordering on ductal carcinoma in situ. No patient reported a family history of breast cancer. No patient took tamoxifen. At a mean follow-up of 75 months (range 4-185 months), no patient developed breast cancer.

CONCLUSION

Our study is the first to provide follow-up information for males with ADH. With 6 years of mean follow-up, no male in our series has developed breast cancer. This suggests that either ADH in men does not pose the same risk as ADH in women or that surgical excision of symptomatic gynecomastia in men effectively reduces the risk of breast cancer.

Gynecomastia With Atypical Ductal Hyperplasia and Ductal Carcinoma In Situ Associated With Invasive Breast Carcinoma in a Male Patient on Antiretroviral Therapy: A Case Report

Breast carcinoma in males is rare although a 4-fold increased incidence is reported in HIV-infected men. Herein we report a case of invasive breast carcinoma in a HIV-positive man on antiretroviral therapy. The carcinoma was associated with features of florid gynecomastia, atypical ductal hyperplasia, ductal carcinoma in situ, and columnar cell change. This combination of morphological changes has not previously been reported in the context of male breast carcinoma and their etiopathological associations are discussed.