The following symptoms and complaints may indicate gynecomastia (breast enlargement):
Leading symptoms
- Mammary gland tissue > 4 cm in diameter, unilateral/bilateral.
- Sensitivity to touch
Warning signs (red flags)
- Anamnestic information:
- Puberty + testes of different size → think of: Testicular tumor
- Alcohol abuse (alcohol dependence) → think of: Liver cirrhosis (irreversible damage to the liver leading to gradual connective tissue remodeling of the liver with impairment of liver function).
- Smoker + drumstick finger → think of: Bronchial carcinoma (lung cancer).
- Unilateral (unilateral), painless, palpable tumor (lump) and/or inverted (retracted) nipples and/or bloody secretion from the nipple → think of: Mammary carcinoma (breast cancer).
- Visual disturbances/facial field loss (bitemporal hemianopsia/visual disturbance with loss of both temporal visual fields) or other neurologic symptoms (e.g., headache) and cranial nerve compression → think of: Pituitary tumor (prolactinoma).
