Recurring Painful Ectopic Gynecomastia in a Young Male - A Case Report

Painful lumps in the axillary area are relatively common and could normally be brought about by several etiologies, more commonly, lipomas, fibroadenoma, hidradenitis suppurativa, lymphoma, or breast cancer. However, recurring painful ectopic gynecomastia in the axillary area of a male patient is of rare occurrence with only few reports in the literature. Here, we report a case of a 25 year old male, who presented to our clinic due to recurring painful right axillary mass. He denied any prior history of trauma, infection, breast mass, or previous lymphadenopathy, decrease in libido nor erectile dysfunction. The mass appeared to be truly subcutaneous at the interface of skin between the superior axilla and the medial arm. Breast exam did not reveal any palpable masses nor abnormalities. Ultrasonography of the right axillary region revealed findings that may represent an accessory axillary breast tissue and histological evaluation revealed an accessory breast tissue with gynecomastia. For such cases, individual treatment requirements can range from simple reassurance to medical treatment or even surgery, all depending on the possible etiology. Due to the diversity of possible etiologies, performing a careful history and physical examination is imperative and the need for hormonal evaluation is warranted to be able to arrive at a certain diagnosis.