Aromatase and gynecomastia

An imbalance between estrogen action relative to androgen action at the bre ast tissue level results in gynecomastia. Enhancement of aromatization of a ndrogens to estrogens is important in the pathogenesis of gynecomastia asso ciated with obesity, aging, puberty, liver disease, thyrotoxicosis, 17-oxos teroid reductase deficiency. Klinefelter's syndrome, and neoplasms of the t estes, adrenals and liver. A primary aromatase excess syndrome with exubera nt gynecomastia had been found both sporadically and in a familial setting. Although aromatase inhibition would appear to be an important class of dru gs to treat gynecomastia, relatively little published data with these drugs exist and most concern the use of Delta(1)-testolactone, which reduces the size of the breast glandular tissue, but does not completely ameliorate th e problem. Studies with the newer generation of more potent aromatase inhib itors need to be carried out.